So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .

Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.

You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .

[ This was already posted on Washington Independent comments area,
with a controllable hotmail account, and was obviously meant by the
author to be read. ]

Thanks,

Anne

ABOUT SARAH PALIN

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a “babe”.

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.

She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.

She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out
there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She’s smart.

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s
surplus, borrow for needs.

She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated”
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t
fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to
nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.

Secondly, I’ve always operated in the belief that “Bad things happen
when good people stay silent”. Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.

Third, I am just a housewife. I don’t have a job she can bump me out
of. I don’t belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.

Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s
attempt at censorship.

Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.

CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can’t recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall–they are
swamped. So I can’t verify my numbers.

You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my “about 5,000″, up to 9,000. The
day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.

449 responses to “A letter from someone who has known Sarah Palin since 1992”

Wow, what a find. Everyone should read this. Obviously it supports everything we’ve come to know and understand about her. Put some comments on various HuffPo (and other big sites). Link back to it. Let your comment say it’s a revealing view by someone who knew her for years.

Bruce,
It is definitely not a problem with the comments being moderated. I suspect it will be like this through November, at least.

My work computer is blocking me from posting comments on HuffPo. I am trying to contact a friend of mine. I am hopeful that he will be able to do this for me. That is a terrific idea – this is something that really needs to be read.

This is EXACTLY how to determine whether or not someone should run for ANY higher office. the writing was clear, convincing, had a narrative that anyone could understand and, overall, a message – Sarah Palin isn’t fit to be a heartbeat away from the POTUS. What an AMAZING piece of writing.

I commend Anne on her bravery for writing and publishing this letter. She is a real American, standing up for what is right – search for the truth. She clearly realizes the potential harm she has placed herself in.

Thank you for the infomration and well written letter. I appreciate getting to know as much as I can since the media has tunnel vision and McCain is not talking about Sarah Palin (per say). My concerns of John McCain’s lye strictly on “JUDGMENT”.. Whether he has the judgment to lead as he is a quick draw shooter on all his decisions. Sounds to me like his decision to put Sarah Palin a neophyte to golbal issues in the number two slot of the ticket was again made without careful and prudent thought to all Americans. I will not vote for a party who exhibits the same reckless behavior as the current administration. thank you again for helping me become a “MORE” informed voter.

This should be emailed all over the web. It is balanced and credible. This woman sounds like an egomaniac who longs for fame and fortune but has absolutely no qualifications. How she could have exposed her daughter to an avalanche of media attention speaks volumes about her character. What decent mother would put one of her children through this public ridicule? McCain wanted a “yes” person, and he got her. She’s not smart enough to challenge him on anything, and that’s what he wants. Again, this should be forwarded to everyone you know.

Ann: Thanks for your information and your excellent letter. You’re a very courageous and TRUE patriot for standing up and for speaking the truth. The voters need to know all the pertinent information about the candidates for this most important election.

From digging around the Alaska newspapers and talking to some hockey friends in Fairbanks, I had found pretty much the same information prior to reading this. I had her pegged from the start as a fraud. She had me at the word Nukular. Ok and the hockey mom thing too. See I was a hockey mom for 15 years as well as a hockey coach for both boys, co-ed, and girls teams. And on all of my teams I only saw one a few like her and one of us coaches or the team mom would bring extra treats when it was “their” turn because those few moms could not be trusted to deliver the goodies.

Too bad the koolaid addled sheep will not see this for what it is. Best of everything to you Anne. Ms Palin will receive 10 time the benefits of what she has sown and it just may not be cool to be her.

I do not know whether all the information reported is accurate or not. I do know that we are facing an election that is the most important one ever with all the concerns on the table and we have a candidate on the ticket we know very little about. And to make matters worse, the Mccain campaign did not thought it was worth their time to invest time in properly vetting her. And now this same campaign refuse to answer questions about the vetting process. We as citizens of this country reserve the right to have our questions answered and concerns addressed. Is this woman qualified to take the second highest seat in the land and if God forbid something happens to McCain who is seventy-two years old and diagnosis with cancer..it is highly worth considering if she is qualified to step in if need be. I will not embrace all the information coming out on Sarah Palin negative or positive…I am looking for information from a neutral source that don’t have an agenda but just the facts. All the nice talk coming out of the campaign of McCain is to be taken with a grain of salt and all the negative is to be treated likewise until further proof. For I suspect that the truth is somewhere in between the good and the bad and let’s hope it is not all ugly.

With only 5,000 – 8,000 citizens in her hometown getting an unbiased view will be difficult. However, I must say this is a very well written overview of her political career, both good and bad are acknowledged and I believe this is Anne’s honest account of the Palin years. This is clear, I was a McCain supporter until this move was made, barring the Governor’s experience or ability. This is clearly a move by the RNC to attempt to capture the Clinton supporters, nothing more or less. It is clear from the people McCain has been surrounded with that the focus is on personality and not substance. I am offended that the party that has had the fate of the country in their hands for 6 of the last 8 years refuses to face up to their short comings. Our economy is a mess, as is our country. Republicans, enjoy the well earned time off you’re about to get.

It doesn’t matter that the writer’s very real and personal experience makes her biased because the facts support everything she is claiming. It’s like the argument that the media was (before) paying more attention to Obama. There’s a reason for this, because he has something to offer that’s historic. McCain? He’s historic for selecting a Woman to get women’s votes, while everything she supports in against women, against the environment, against the middle class, for lobbyists and Oil even though she pretends to be a Maverick. I just hope the American public is smart enough to see through it, really hold her accountable for her past, instead of being hypnotized by the image the GOP is presenting.

Of course Palin has 80% popularity in Alaska. Given the fact that she gave the windfall profit taxes to the residents. She bought their loyalty similiar to Eva Peron.
In light of her popularity, Anne letter is more valid. Why would Anne put herself out there when a backlash of Palin’s loyalists will surely follow. Anne is a true patriot-speaking truth to power.

Palin is unqualified but a shrewd actress. I expect her speach tonight will be great. I could give a barn burner if I had all the top Republican strategist writing my text and tutoring me.

This nation is in the middle of two wars, has Iran scurrying around trying to get a bomb, paying the N. Koreans off in not making more bombs, Israel itching to strike Iran, Pakistan trying to establish their pledging democracy, Afghan violence on the rise, Taliban/Alquedi reconstituting, Bin Laden hanging out in his cave, the Russian Bear flexing its muscle in Eastern Europe and the US economy going down the drain.

And this is the person McCain’s picks as a VP when he is old and has had serious medical issues. Is this American Presidential Politics or some surreal movie. I don’t even think Hollywood would make a movie about this because it is too fantastical.

Anne,
Thank you so much for the information. I think you are doing a great service to our voters and our nation. No candidate is perfect. But voters should vote for a candiate that will really move our country forward. A candidate with known history. I feel that Palin is very shady. I don’t want to vote for her then later on regret. I will gamble for Obama/Baden, at least I know them more. I will not vote for Mccaine because I also know him. Expereinced candidate sometimes creat more problems for this country.

Wasilla doesn’t sound like the kind of place that you would want to endanger your baby to get to. I wonder why Governor Palin is so proud of having flown back there from Texas AFTER her water broke and she went into labor with Trig.

Me, I would’ve been afraid the plane might go down somewhere far from a hospital. Or being in such crowds might hasten a deadly infection. Or that without a fetal heart monitor to check on Trig’s heart rate, there would be no way to tell if his umbilical cord was strangling him during the flight. Or that labor would progress suddenly, and he might be born during the flight, needing immediate lifesaving care because of his genetic profile.

At the very least, I would have gone for a physical examination at an emergency room and obtained expert OB/GYN advice on the safety of flying during labor. Governor Palin called her good friend, who happens to be a general practitioner, and told this doctor her symptoms over the phone. The doctor denies having given Palin medical permission to fly, but Sarah chose to go ahead anyway.

Surely the Governor cannot expect us to credit her story that she waited at least 10 hours to seek the emergency medical care Trig needed so she could fly on an airplane, in violation of airline policy, just because “You can’t have a fish-picker from Texas.” What a shockingly frivolous reason! And insulting to Texas as well! In a nutshell, that statement implies she thinks it’s “Better dead than Texan.” I hope Texans keep that in mind this November.

Sounds like Sarah stole this writer’s date to the prom or her daughter beat out this woman’s daughter for cheerleader or her husband got in a skirmish with Sarah’s husband or . . . . I could go on and on. As someone who has lived in a small town and knows small town politics there is more than likely something else goin on here. Just use this source as one of many to make your decision on whether or not Palin is right for the country. I wouldn’t use this as a deciding definitive source though.

Anne, this is a mighty powerful letter. What really struck me, is that I sensed NO bias in your words. You gave the good as well as the bad.

This entire thing has me sick to my stomach. I am tired of the GOP treating the average citizen as though we are all stupid. Perhaps though…we should all think far more carefully than ever before, prior to voting.

I knew for myself, that John McCain offered up nothing new for me….and his choice of Sarah Palin didnt make me feel any better. In fact its been gnawing at me. I dont want a woman telling me what I can do with my own body any more than I want a man to do that, and sounds like Ms. Palin likes to call the shots. Oh my heavens…what on earth would she do if McCain were to EVER treat her in the way he treated Cindy. I am referring to the disgusting trollop and c… words thrown her way when he was angry. lol…if it werent so serious it would be funny. I somehow cant see someone with the nickname of “barracuda” looking the other way.

I am rambling I know…but my instincts tell me she will be dropped from the ticket in the near future. I can see it coming.

Palin is an awful choice as a VP running mate. She’s a mess. Kudos to you for having the guts to put forth your observations. Unfortunately for her defenders, who are definitely a vocal minority, what you’ve written falls in line with what many others have observed as well.

So Sarah is a female Dick Cheney. How becoming. For eight years we had Bush/Cheney and now the Republicans are again running Bush(McCain)/Cheney(Palin). The Republicans have no new ideas. They are nothing but “R’s”, repeats, reruns, redoes Republicans. See, nothing new.

Tom, she may have a reason to write these ‘facts about Palin but what she has written could just be questioned by someone else in Wasilla. Then that person would be accused of having a beef against Anne and so on and so on. The clarity of her writing and caveats lend me to believe her. And practically everything in her caveats can be verified. As far as Palin carrying grudges, her actions in firing people seems to back it up. Personally, I think she is a joke of a selection and was done to placate the “Bible thumper” evangelicals, anti-abortionists and as an open pandering to those women dis-satisfied with their ‘imagined’ disrespect of Hillary Clinton.

The woman who wrote this letter requested that her name be removed before posting this on any website. Her name appears in the “Why am I writing this” portion of the letter after “If you google my name”. Please remove her name. There are a lot of wackos out there and if you are going to use her words you should respect her wishes. Outside of that I appreciate the post.

For someone not following the election closely this is direct and to the point and clears any doubt in my mind of who I need to vote for. Also as a mother myself I think that is selfish for McCain to ask Palin to come in when she has a child that has special needs and requires added attention as well as a daughter that is obviouly in need of her support run for motherhood not the nation.

Thanks to Anne for her braveness to step forward. Those whose jobs could be affected by speaking out usually stay silent. As a 59 yr old woman, I am scared to death that our country could led by this woman. It sounds as though McCain and Palin are both control freaks and very impulsive. Do we need that combination at this time? Who will press the button first? At this time in history we need a president who is willing to negotiate first and foremost before going to war. We need someone who will bring people together instead of dividing us. I am totally insulted by McCain’s political choice. Country first? Give me a break. Like Obama said “It’s not about me it’s about you”. I believe he means it.

This and the New York Times report on how John McCain was pressured into naming Sarah Palin as his VP by the Religious Right and how badly he vetted her is MUST reading. As more damning info comes out about her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she becomes the Thomas Eagleton of this era and has to bow out of the running. And if not, consider McCain’s age and her spotty background, we be in deep Bandini.

Whitehawk,
You have posted quotes from blogs with no reference point. I’m not sure what blogs you are talking about. I don’t feel comfortable leaving your random quotes up without sourcing.
You even stated that you didn’t feel comfortable passing this along.

Everything about Sarah Palin sounds exactly like GWB. She isn’t like Dick Cheney…she’s George W. Bush!!! Think about it: prolife; won’t tolerate opposing views; hires and promotes cronies; wants drill, drill, drill, the environment be damned; a martinet; for the war, even though she doesn’t understand it; no foreign relations experience or knowledge; needs lots of handlers; tells half truths or perhaps even outright lies (the jury’s still out on this); and promotes tax relief for the wealthy at the expense of the lower and middle class. If you liked George W. Bush, you’ll LOVE Sarah Palin.

I read this earlier today…forwarded to me by my sister in L.A. I live in Antigua and have forwarded it to everyone I know..this is the most informative info I have read to date and rings very very true! Great stuff! Thanks!

Hearty congratulations to Anne for a clear, well-written and thoughtful letter. While Anne makes no secret of her distaste for aspects of Governor Palin’s record, she has bent over backwards to discuss Palin’s strengths as well. Even more impressively, Anne has cited policy choices and budget results in Wasilla to make her case and has acknowledged the limitations of the evidence in her letter. Anne, you have done all American voters a great service. And I wish that the media would dig into such details concerning Governor Palin’s records in Wasilla and as Governor of Alaska. This is the type of reporting that we need to make sound judgments about Senator Palin and her suitability for the office of Vice Presidenet. Thank you, Anne. As others have written on this site, you are a patriot. Note that if other residents of Wasilla and the state of Alaska have their own factual recountings to share with us, I for one would be greatful.

Having lived in Anchorage, what hasn’t been said anywhere is that Wasilla is in the Mat-Su Valley. Mat-Su as in the confluence of the Matanuska and Susitna Rivers, the main towns up in the Valley are Palmer (the largest), Wasilla, Willow, Houston, and Chickaloon. The Valley denizens are not so affectionally referred to as “Valley Trash” by those who live in the Anchorage Bowl. A friend of mine was the supervising public defender in the Mat-Su Valley for a year and commuted from Anchorage. When we had lunch to discuss her appointment, I joked about her sentence to Appalachia, she felt that she had been assigned to the Ozarks (as in where the Deliverance people lived).

Mind you, there are good people who live in the Mat-Su Valley, but in a state that is isolated and certainly not progressive (Juneau is different, as the Capitol there are a great many people with college degrees), this is the very, very small town that Mayor Palin hails from.

Before I believe any of this, I would question why the author does not put her full name. It’s a hatchet job from someone who obviously has some grudge with Sarah.
Anyone can write something anonymously.

And for Debbie, wow, Juneau has college degrees! That must make them sooo special.

As a Democrat, I am ashamed to say that many Democrats are as bad as their archrival rightwing Republicans when it comes to putting down a segment of the population that is different from them. As for Debbie’s comment though, I always thought that the Democrats are supposed to be the party of everyone. I guess that should be changed to the “party for people that have degrees who turn their self-righteous noses up in the air”, and “who know what is best for everyone else”. Usually, I feel disgusted with Republicanism, but this year is different. The Democrats have turned into a party of vicious ideologues, a party that I don’t recognize anymore.

thanks for finding this, very very interesting… I was actually catching up on some onion news the night that I found out that sarah paulin was mccains vp pick… i must say that even though I was off of the onion site, reading about palin and all of her drama, i really did think that it was a joke, why would mccain pick such a bad choice? in a matter of days she’s been ripped to pieces, all with knowledge that is openly available to anyone, the media’s going to have a field day digging even deeper into palin, and i’m going to be here the entire time, watching.. thanks again for the great post.

A good case of sour grapes. I am not from Alaska but I spent a week in and around Wasilla 3 years ago and everybody I talked politics with loved the woman. There is probably a lot of jealousy involved.

WOW, what an eye opener! Thanks so much for inside scoop about Palin.
I commend your bravery and patriotism for writing this letter. It is something that millions need to hear…Scary stuff, makes Palin seem more like a Dictator than a gold medal Mom; and isn’t that what we US citizens are trying to stop in other countries? Go Obama!

As soon as polls indicated that Obama was leading among women, McCain picks Palin. If even half of this stuff is true, just another disastrous choice in our upcoming “selection” of November 4th.

Not that I care, but facts about Palin’s “birth” of the Downs Syndrome baby indicate the unlikelihood of her having that baby; likely she created a cover for her young daughter. Check out what happened when her water broke: She gave a speech, then flew 14 hours back to Alaska, then went to a hospital and “had the baby”. Sure!

All electronic voting machines can be easily rigged, hence the terrible choices we’re presented with in November (and every other election).

Shall we continue to pretend to vote? Or is America ready to “just say no” to hacked electronic voting machines?

My2Bucks; sorry I was in a hurry. These 2 bloggers were taken from an anchorage site…don’t want to name, but bloggers are 2 people working with Palin, discussing Palin’s quote’s to them. I want to leave the source out (I’ve got them if necessary) but do want to mention Frank Warkowski’s name because he once governor, helped her along financially, the oil and gas position and along with Ted Stevens, and a few others were actually all psuedo partners in some things, not in other’s. Being set up was with a violation of which he, Warkowski was fined $12000K.

Tonight’s speech has just ended, yes I can see the look of vindictive, condescending theatrics in play. She is definitely an actress…sort of the Anna Nicole Smith politician with, in my opinion, little respect for anyone.

Many people in Alaska say “Alaskans are going to rue the day they laid eyes on this American screwing bitch”. “The landscape is lettered with the bodies of those who crossed Palin”. “Dave Dittman worked on her campaign, Ruedrich, Renkes, (W)Murkowski, John Binkley and Andrew Halcro”. “Urgent!! AK wanted Palin to resign”. “Her staff calling for her resignation”. “A religious cult, the Van Palin Family, Frank Bailey Van Palin”. “keep Bailey quiet for Palin cost” “Sarah needs to send Todd (husband)packing…..poking into everybody’s business” “Sarah Palin” a vendictive liar”. “Now everybody knows what were dealing with in Wasilla”.

These are all different blog entries. some the same people are blogging, but many, many different blog entries, these only the smallest tip. Charlie Crist’s name was also brought up, only I seen or could figure out that he knew them and lived there for 10 yrs.

There is a link here from what I can feel, but not put my finger on between Washington and Sarah Palin….it comes across strong in the blog entries, but cannot figure it out other than the direct quote linking Cheney and Rove, Gingrich etc.

I see a lot of numbers and someone’s interpretation and attempt at representing views from people Palin allegedly intimidated. If this person had simply left her perspective with the local politics of the city, it would seem less “biased”, but this individual attempts to represent motivations, insider information in areas outside her level of personal knowledge (Palin’s involvement with the ethics committee, governor, etc). That does give more credence to a politically motivated attempt at mudslinging.

Sounds like a load of bilge from an anonymous source (Anne?), perhaps someone who is jealous of Mrs. Palin’s attractiveness and achievements. And how do we know if the writer is really an Alaskan? This hit piece could have been crafted by some political hack in Chicago for all we know.

There have been a few comments from the troll patrol about the name of the person who authored this letter.
She is not anonymous. She did provide a name and an email address – which was removed per her request.

Nobama – ever been to Alaska? Bet you haven’t – I was born there and I happen to be Alaska Native. Most people living in Alaska are not Alaska Native, it has one of the highest high school drop out rates in the country, one of the highest suicide rates in the country, one of the highest rates of accidental death and homicide, and alcoholism regardless of race — it’s a really great place to live. And the Institute of Social & Economic Research at the University of Alaska in Anchorage has documented that Alaska Native women are at risk of sexual assault & violence at rates that would shock even the most jaded arm chair reader such as yourself. But Palin will not fund health, education, social services, or rural law enforcement. I guess these are not regarded as essential governmental services. I spent years delivering health services to rural areas and developing small business outside of the Anchorage-Fairbanks axis. Palin is a joke to a sizeable group of Alaskans – she didn’t win in a landslide. The writer of the letter from Wasilla is pretty much bang on, that’s how business is done in small town Alaska. As mayor, she didn’t do much except hold her hand out to Don Young, Frank/Lisa Murkowski, and Ted Stevens and glad-hand with the public – the city manager ran the daily operations of the city (I know, I was a city manager).

It’s a little funny that we’re willing to take the word of one woman who claims to know Palin and clearly wants to slam her, but not that of the 80+% of Alaskans who think she’s doing a good job in office.

Anne, THANK-YOU!!! This woman makes my skin crawl, like Dick Cheney in drag. I live in a town of 8000 people, and none of our mayors have been qualified to be in the white house, although one old-timer (22 years on the city council..) could be Ted Stevens. She’s a fundamentalist extremist who wants to rule the world, with a gun.
The GOP must have had cheer leaders in the audience tonight, not all those delegates can be that ignorant, can they?

Wow. To think that I was about to vote for McCain because of the “experience” thing. Obama ran a massive campaign well enough that he was able to beat the Clinton Machine. That’s more executive power and leadership than Palin has ever exercised. No amount of time spent in a POW camp gives you the ability to lead people. Good temperment and good judgment are what’s required. Johnny Mac never had good temperment and now, it’s clear he has no judgment at all. All he had to do was pick Kay Bailey Hutchinson or someone, anyone, with some experience (maybe even having left the country more than once – Canada doesn’t count!)

There is nothing about Palin that appeared Presidential to me. She is a small town mayor, a mini-van driving mother, and a half-ass governor of a half-ass, messed up state.

It is just as offensive for folks to say Annie was “jealous” of Palin, or she didn’t get the “prom date” that Palin got. Again, sexism is at work here. Some women do not want that “prom date” that the “popular” gal got. Some women can recognize shallowness at a very young age. Some women can admire a personality like Palin’s: the go-getter, the athlete, the extrovert at first–but cringe when such ambition is used for selfish, self-promoting, unethical activities. This is unacceptable in a public servant. But alas, such ego maniacs usually are the ones who thrive on politics and continue the “old boy” network rather than expose it. She is more like the black widow spider who does her political spinning. Hilary Clinton she is not, nor does she have the experience or intelligence to be VP, let alone to be an inspiration for women of integrity.

The author of the email is Anne Kilkenny. Interestingly enough, the blog author has the same last name but given her tone and skepticism I don’t think she’s related. The blog author managed to contact Anne and obtained a pristine copy of Anne’s original email.

Is it too much to ask for some proof on any of these accusations? I am not saying these are fabrications, but this woman has broken some very significant stories that the Democrats could definitely use. Actually, this woman should be rich in the media’s eyes, so how come I haven’t seen her yet? She apparently knows something no one else does. My point: She was obviously not hated as much as this woman hates on her, or else she wouldn’t be where she is today, not to mention a 3 term stint as mayor, then 80% approval rating as a governor.

The fact that :”she has hated me since back in 1996, ” was included as a reason to write the letter shows that it’s completely biased.

I’m not refuting any of the political happenings, I was just a young’n when Sarah was mayor, but people develop their careers as they move along.

The sports complex was an amazing addition to Wasilla. I’m sure parents loved having their high school kids drive 30 miles to 5:45 a.m. hockey practice before school because there were four high schools and two to three community teams sharing one ice rink. I was one of those high school kids, and I’m sure my parents shuddered every icy morning that I hit the road at 16 that early with my little brother in tow. A “hockey mom” sees those kinds of things.

Plus, she didn’t “impose” the additional .05% of sales tax to build the complex, taxpayers voted it in.

Anne…. thank you for taking this risk…it would be easier to be silent. This letter is more than an opinion. It reads as factual and credible. How can we get this information verified? I was curious about all of the hype and decided to search for some kind of verifiable evidence that she was the executive genious she has been perported to be. The Pew Center On The States developes a 50-state comparison report, with a grade for each state’s overall governing. Alaska received a “C” and is placed among the bottom 9 states….not exactly a glowing report.
“Alaska has reaped the benefit of high oil prices but has not used that money to maintain roads or buildings or fund technology and human resource needs.”

WOW, it amazes me how many people listen to a obviously disgruntled person, do I detect jealousy, upset of Palin’s popularity, looks, hard work and accomplishments. How about listening to reputable sources. Hmmm…let’s see 80% approval rating, not bought I might add, you give little faith to residents there. She totally had the facts, according to her and numbers she can’t confirm, sounds a little shady to me. Anyway, I’m still listening to what Mcain/Palin have to say, I’m not to sure about Biden, Let’s see he had 1% of democrat votes, ya Obama/Clinton took them all, but still not a very liked guy. Again I wait to hear more of the candidates and I am happy to be apart of history making election season! God Bless America!

Well, I am an Alaskan Native.. I was born in North Pole (err.. hospital was in Fairbanks). I think this is horse crap. I dont know of many who dislike Palin and, as a housewife myself, I dont-nor do any friends of mine-have anything to lose either! OF COURSE it appears unbiased.. there are positives noted.. like that she is pretty and works out (WOW), but come on! Anyone who knows ANYTHING about persuasive writing knows that that is how you gotta roll! You have to list SOME positive as well in order to appear credible. This isnt any different than any of the other political mud-slinging.,, and I surely would not use it as an “eye opener” of any sort.

Vickie.. umm, check your facts. She was only leaking fluid and was NOT in labor. If you have children, you should know-she would NOT be able to deliver a speech while in labor! She kept in contact with her doctor the entire time and she had to be induced when she got to the hospital.

And GOOD LORD.. Tomeka.. can you BE anymore sexist? She shouldnt accept VPOTUS because of her children? Is her husband not capable? Is it only a woman’s job to care for the children now? Besides, she takes Trig to work with her, usually wearing him in a sling as is common in AK. and her daughter isnt going to be robbed of her mom’s support either way!

I have to admit I’m an in your face sort of person and I tend to root for other go get ’em women. In this case, though, I have to say that, if true (and I have no evidence to the contrary), this is SCARY stuff. It’s like we’re back in the 1920s with people like Al Capone running things – again! Does anything ever change? I can see how someone as Palin appears to be can get into LOCAL politics and that’s bad enough, but VICE PRESIDENTIAL candidate with a REAL chance of becoming president if the Republicans are returned? Shit! I’m not American, but if America sneezes, the rest of the world often catches cold. If Palin became President of the USA, even by default, it sounds to me like the USA would be a lot sicker than a mere sneeze. Hell, it’s got a feel more of Bubonic Plague!

Sarah Palin has left behind a metaphorical trail of bodies in a system that was full of deadbeats, hacks, and leeches. This is just like everfy level of gov’t from small town to federal. Bravo. So she bucked the sytem, cleaned house, and made some enemies. I hope she continues her pattern of reform all the way to the White House some day. This posting was admittedly from a person who feels slighted by Sarah and never agreed with her ideology to begin with and is jealously bitter now. A handful of backhanded compliments scattered throughout a political hit piece do not constitute a balanced assessment. Nice try, but Sarah Barracuda just skwered your candidate last night and is going to destroy that tired old boy hack, Biden on her way to the vice presidency.

It’s interesting to note that the McCain camp has issued a press release denying Palin’s having had an extra-marital affair. Since the story’s coming from the same people that gave us the Edwards affair, I’ll go with it.

What a bunch of crap. An anonymous letter written by a Democratic blogger. To anyone who believes this bogus junk, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that’s for sale. Some of this may be true, but it wasn’t written by “Anne, who knows Palin well”.
Scheeze, wake up America, everyone’s lying to us. Don’t vote for the Reps because they have a woman and don’t vote for the Dems because they have a black. Vote for who you feel is the the best candidate for US, not Europe, not a “feel good vote” but who will do the most for us and get us back on track. Either party choice has to be better than our current clown.

The funny thing is that with as little experience as Palin has, she has more executive branch experience than McCain, Obama, and Biden combined. I know it is only two years worth, but that is two more than anyone else. Kennedy was the last Senator to be elected President. Our country may be in trouble no matter how this turns out. I think that some of this information in the letter is true or a version of the truth. However, her skeletons don’t even come close to stacking up to Obama’s and Biden’s. The funny thing is that the women’s movement hinges upon Palin and McCain right now. It’s not that she reflects their values, but neither does Obama even though he pretends to. I will be focusing about that more in my new blog in a couple of days. Anyway, people need to realize that Clinton can still be President in 2012. Before that happens, Obama must lose. Clinton supporters are crazy if they vote for Obama.

First of all, most everything in this letter can be found on about 3 mainstream liberal blogs, so there is no new news in this letter. All it takes is for a creative writer to compile the simple rumors and information floating in blogs and and put together a letter such as this. One of the main reasons I know this letter is inaccurate and false is because the “writer” states things that certain officials have come out and denounced, such as the “firing of the top cop.” Those who are investigating the case have said repeatedly, “There is no evidence that Sarah had any ‘direct’ association with the attempt to fire the trooper.” If this lady knows her family so well (and doesn’t have a grudge as it sounds like she does), then why did she not report this story about the cop and his illegal activities as an officer?http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html

Here are a few facts. Every major network that opposes Sarah Palin is in her home town and in the state of Alaska trying to dig up dirt. People who have actually been interviewed, in person, have talked about the phone calls and the request for information and for interviews. If this person who is writing this letter were for real, she would have an interview on every major network in the media. She would not have to post her letter on a blog comment section. For those who are actually buying into this, well, it just says a lot about your judgment, which makes it easier to see why a majority of you would be supporting a candidate like Obama.

The attempts to smear Sarah Palin are getting stupider and stupider, while being less effective. In fact before her speech last night her national approval rating jumped 13 points from 39% to 52%. That means, your hard work in posting all of this junk is unsuccessful and pointless, well I guess it gives you all something to do during the day. Funny though, even if this woman was real, which I highly doubt, Sarah Palin has over an 80% approval rating in Alaska, one person does not change that, and if these stories were true, she wouldn’t have that high of a rating…good try!

Angirach – WOW, if someone said pigs could fly then you’d swallow it whole right? Come on, do some homework and see if this or any part of it is true. Leadership is hard gang and it leaves a bloody trail at times. People get mad and upset when they don’t get their way. From all accounts she took a stand and made some tough decisions, that’s what leaders do. What they don’t do is spend months getting everyone’s opinions and then try to make everyone happy…nothing gets accomplished then (Welcome to Big Government). I’m all for people waying in and tossing out their opions and facts about issues but at the end of the day someone has to make THE decision and not ALL are going to like it. Look into the tax thing closer and the facts may end up that she actually did raise some taxes. Last night, if you listened closely, she said she would try not to do so…she didn’t say that she wouldn’t ever raise them. Lets’s not swallow all of this whole so it confirms a thought you had…angry counsilwomen can say lots of stuff because they are mad!!!

Your persepctives are refreshing AND revealing. There is obviously some bad blood between the two of you … which would be expected when someone else aspires to making a difference in the world. It has famously been said that when you raise your head above the crowd you automatically give people a target. In this world, we will never achieve full consensus. Thaks for your input, though. This has become an interesting adventure. Palin has attracted SO much attention that Obama has lost his greatest asset — his oratory skills. When his “voice” is lost, he falls into serious risk. Nothing on the media today gave him a chance to regain his presence and the McCain / Palin ticket has effectively silenced him … perhaps until the debates can begin.

I watched Palin’s speech last night and was sickened at the response she got from the Republicans in the hall. One man had a button on that read, “Hoosiers for the Hot Babe.” What a comedown from Hilllary!! I only HOPE that McCain gets clobbered in November. She doesn’t lack for self-confidence, but she’s a real threat to the intelligence and integrity of every American voter. Thanks for posting this information! Like others responding, I wish that every voter could read it!

ANGIRACH
I never said people were criticising her because she’s a woman. What I’m trying to say is don’t believe ANYTHING you read in these types of blogs. Not about Palin and not about Obama and certainly don’t “confirm” your choice based on these types of blogs.

Abonny – this should scare you, quite frankly it should shake you up. For years you’ve felt very comfortable with taking what someone says to heart and then having it confirm whatever you may think. Leadership takes some guts and some very hard choices. Sounds like Palin didn’t like some things and made some changes…she may have even raised some taxes. We have a mayor who has made enormous improvements in the city, has used state money to make some of it happen. Not all of the people thought this was a good idea, but come election time these are the same people complaining about pot holes and side walks and a whole bunch of other things. What they fall to realize is that he didn’t raise taxes to get this cash, he filed for state grants that are earmarked for these improvements…something that our 40 year in office previous mayor counldn’t get accomplished. You can either make “change” happen or you can complain about it and do nothing…now there is a real choice and scary moment for you!!!

Frankly, with the venom that this lady spit out last night she should be ashamed of herself. I tried to keep an open mind, but frankly, when she attacked Community Organizing as people who make no decisions she lost me.

She *hailed* the fact that her son and her nephew were in the service and yet completely ignored the fact that Beau Biden will be leaving his wife and 2 small children to deploy to Iraq in a few days.

She suggested that those people who opt to vote Democratic hate their country because they’re willing to back out of a war that should have never happened.

She slammed Senator Obama as a do nothing – without even understanding his record. Regardless of whether you believe that Senator Obama is qualified to be President, you cannot deny what he’s accomplished.

Sorry, but I’m not buying this letter as legit. It’s just too planned out and concise to be a letter to “friends”. It sounds more like just another part of the smear campaign against Palin. I’ve also seen very little in the media that the Trooper Gate accusations were supposedly made by an Alaskan Democratic legislator who has his eyes on running for Governor.

Any poster here who’s saying “you’re such a patriot, so courageous” was never going to vote for the GOP anyway. Admit it: you just don’t like McCain/Palin and you’ll read and believe anything you can find that supports your view. The fact that conservatives have been making the same kinds of noises about Obama (who also has no experience and has VERIFIED links to bad people and bad situations) is lost on you. You want “O” to win, so that’s that.

This piece is interesting but not balanced, nor have any of you verified any piece of it. There’s not a single spelling or grammatical error in this very lengthy letter, which is very suspicious. Also, there is nothing about Palin’s side of the story on the “top cop” firing at the state level. That is, her brother-in-law was a cop and abused his son with a Taser in a messy divorce, and Palin knew this and demanded he be fired, to which the “top cop” refused.

This strikes me as a hit piece. Worth investigating, but not to be believed wholesale without follow-up.

I sure wouldn’t believe anything I read in these blogs, folks. Obama’s “first responder” army was dispatched last week to change Wiki entries, blog lies and generally demonstrate their totalitarian leanings. I, for one, don’t think that our country should be run by the “children of the corn.”

my2bucks.wordpress.com assumes no liability for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All information should be verified independently before being used and relied on.

It is clear to me this is a statement of opinion but that’s just my opinion!

So we’re supposed to believe this letter, when the biggest thing in the news right now is Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy? We’re supposed to believe that all this info from this “friend” has been an Alaskan secret, and has escaped the scrutiny of people like Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, who have both spoken highly of Palin while explaining some actions she took as governor? Maybe it IS true, maybe there are hundreds of people scared to go to the media with their own eye-witness accounts for fear of backlash from Gov. Palin…so perhaps now there will be people on every corner with megaphones warning all of the “sheep” to keep McCain/Palin out of the White House, but isn’t everyone a “sheep” of something? If you don’t think so, just watch the parade that follows Obama everywhere he goes.

Mavoter – Palin didn’t say anything that wasn’t true or in complete taste given the DNC speeches. So she made reference to him being a community organizer, what problem do you have with that, he was one and his record is plan to get…he got organized one, and lets keep in mind that this was a good thing, one summer job office past 95th street so kids could sign up for summer jobs. He also got organized a set of buildings on the south side of Chicago to get asbestos removed…also a good thing. The key word here is organizers…Barack didn’t do anything but get people together. Now I’ve gotten orgazined a few things here in our town but this doesn’t qualify me for much than…well hopefully you get the point. Community organizers aren’t governors who pull the trigger on legislation…I think that was her point.

Don’t think she “hailed” anything, she merely made reference to the fact that her son and nephew were going to serve in the military…please tell me that if you were up there and had the opportunity (granted by the way) to tell the American people that your family is supporting an effort (happens to be the war effort) that you wouldn’t do the same. She didn’t have to refer to Biden’s kids…Biden didn’t.

Please start listing the accomplishments Mavoter…I’ll even help you out here,

It seems that I’ve witnessed another pivitol moment in history with the nomination of Sarah Palin. This election cycle has produced several “first:” John McCain, the oldest candidate to run for President in US history, Barack Obama, the first African-American to run for President, and the new, charming, smart and witty first woman to
run for Vice-President, Sarah Palin. I agree that whatever is going on with her children
should be “off limits” to the media…and she is correct, as VP her job isn’t to “seek the
good opinion of the reporters and commentators.” However, I see a duality here! The
Republicans, in their zeal to oppose the first viable black man to run for executive office, have not only questioned Barack Obama’s qualifications, but have issued every
negative statement imaginable about him; both real and imagined! Yet, the citizens of
this country are expected to accept Ms. Palins’ credentials on their say-so! That is not the way it works…nice try, but no cigar! Above and beyond what we don’t know about the Governor of Alaska, what we do know is she is under “investigation” for
abuse of office! John McCain selected this woman to energize the republican base,
to appeal to women with developementally challenged children, and to shore in the
Hillary Clinton voters. Women Democrats, Independents and some Republicans can
see through this smoke-screen! We know that a McCain/Palin administration would set the rights of women back 100 years; no equal pay for equal work, no justice for women in the Supreme Court, and a good chance that Roe V Wade would become
history! Even though I am way past child-bearing age, and am semi-retired, I want
to see my grand-daughters have a chance at that “American Dream;” I want them
to have their careers, and be paid as well as their male-counterparts. They are entitled, as free women, to have or not have a child. Republicans, your fear and smear tactics won’t work…not this time!

Being an independent is great. I can look critically on both sides and can to some understanding of the true DNA based strands that make you a bleeding heart liberal or a NRA flag waving conservative. I myself am neither. Like so many others I find the common ground that settles upward. You too?

I’d like to start by identifying heroism.

1. Does several non-remarkable flight missions and subsequent POW status make you a hero?

2. Does becoming a community organizer for far less money over law firm partnership and riches associated make you a hero?

I’d have to say that I see heroism as personal sacrifice over self preservation or selfishness. I think Obama qualifies as equal to McCain on that issue. Let’s give both of them the Bronze star.

Does Joe Biden’s record for thirty years of service with so little financial gain and virtually no scandal overshadow Palin’s limited service and some serious possible abuses of power? I am tipping towards Biden.

Did Palin really state that unlike community organizers she had responsibilities. Does the GOP really mean that service first circumvents the thousands who offer community service for little or no pay? Well I think that was indicated last night. If their argument is that they were just making the comparison of running a country to her moose mayoral experience being better experience than organizing, mobilizing and getting specific people the homes, heat and health care they need, then I missed something there.

The statement either way just keeps reinforcing the words of Ron Paul and other ex-Republicans who have said the party has lost it’s way and no longer represents the platform that it was based upon.

Palin also went into the big government and fiscal responsibility. Where have they been since Clinton’s surplus? Bush has created national debt in unprecedented proportions and he has not reduced government. He simply reduced domestic government and replaced it with additional Defense and Security which works outside this country. So he has left the borders unsecured, eliminated the proper port security, FDA and other critical interior protections and replaced it with defense of global trade to protect the corporatists cronies he deems as the only American interests. Add to this the huge infrastructure of Homeland Security, Blackwater, FEMA who require billions of our tax dollars in order to illegally spy on the taxpayers.

How many times did you hear “We live in a dangerous world?” No shit, Sherlocks. When you operate in clandestine think tanks and conduct covert operations under the radar of the Congress and oversight to procure and prop the cronies in foreign countries who will conduct the most abhorrent human rights abuses for a bottom line mission, you will also develop multiple new group of enemies who know what you are doing. They live the experience of these onslaughts, yet our major media continues to be owned, run and censored for content as to the means and ways.

FEAR-FEAR-FEAR, the basis for speeches by Bush, Giuliani, Lieberman, Palin and everyone else in this RNC convention. As an independent and Libertarian, I say the motto is WE TAKE OUR CHANCES AND TAKE CARE OF AMERICANS. If we butt out and break ties with the Corporatist Global Military Financial Combine, we will have nothing to fear. Why can’t we sell this to Americans from all sides?

I was impressed with Sarah Palin and feel she totally electrified this convention. She is obviously a seasoned speaker. She comes across as sincere, exciting and willing to do what it takes to make this a better country. She should not be judged because she has conservative views–many of Americans feel this is an asset. Many comments, I feel, have been driven by jealousy and fear. I would be comfortable with her if she ended up being President. I think as the song says “God is Watching us” (Bette Midler). I will definitely vote for McCain/Palin and challenge any liberal to be brave enough to do the same. Do what is right. It is time this country went back to the basics–values. Sexist, get over it. She has what it takes! God Bless her and God Bless America!!

Her support of drilling in new areas is enough by itself for me to never support her. Why is there no drilling going on in the millions or acres already designated for drilling? Why is it necessary to claim more land for drilling when there is so much already not being used?

“Drill, baby, drill” is just disgusting, and making me regret my decision to move back to the U.S. (I am a U.S. citizen, been living abroad for 8 straight years). Then again, no worries, Obama will be elected in a landslide.

I really, really wish politicians and people like @Kaye Mayers would STOP saying only “God bless America.” Why the hell not “God bless the whole world?” Yeah? Why just America? You don’t want everyone in the world to be blessed?

Here is a recipe for you…take a pinch of “I have an axe to grind” with a heavy dose of “Fear mongering from BOTH sides” and finally…”The always popular irrationality and let’s all go jump off a cliff if my candidate does not win”

I’m sick of the whole process. Including this “Letter from someone who knows Sarah Palin crap”. Give me a break!!!!!

Just out of curiosity, she implied in the Librarian’s case that most of the city rallied to support the librarian, so Palin backed off. In one of her last paragraphs, she said that she was one of the 100 or so who defended the librarian. That doesn’t seem like “MOST” of the city. I think anyone who is convincing can sway the view either way. And some might be glad that she gave refunds to the city for energy in order to stimulate the economy- they paid for it in the first place anyway. Dems are going to have problems with Reps, and vice versa. I don’t think many political blogs have a lot of bearing because people vote for who they want to vote for and their minds are hard to change.

I find it offensive that Palin would discredit anyone who would be willing to take on the responsibility as a community organizer. After reading this letter I can understand why. When government fails to you use proper governance it is up to the people to right the wrongs that are being committed. I have been apart of many grassroots movements and through the efforts of unpaid organizers and hundreds of volunteered hours we where able to change the direction of many ill planned and selfishly thought out decisions that our so called paid political leaders had embarked upon. I wonder if Palin would say the same thing to Gandi, Cesar Chavez, Eve Ensler or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the million of others that are willing to take a stand and become a community organizers in order to make this world a better place to live in. I am sure Palin believes exactly what she said when she read her speech and told the world – “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.” McCain/Palin is the same bridge to nowhere – just like the last 8 years of Cheney/Bush.

This letter is very weak in that it is VAGUE when needed to be to the point and to the point when it didn’t matter. ……………. This sounds like some one that is out to get even. Is this a relative of the “EX-BROTHERN-LAW” that tazored his own step son to get even for Palin’s sister trying to get out of a bad marriage. Let’s get real. It is the country we are trying to make good on ……… not someone airing their dirty laundry to get even.

Balanced? Unbiased? From someone that admits she’s been on Palin’s bad side for 12 years?

I don’t think so. This is someone who’s laid in the weeds waiting for her time. Good timing. Well written piece but has holes in it and uses figures and wording to support her argument against someone she dislikes and doesn’t want elected. According to this ‘article’ there is nothing good about Palin. That’s fishy in and of itself. If it were a balanced piece she would have offered both sides. She didn’t therefore it lacks credibility.

BTW, where are the salacious Obama details about playing footsy with the white guy in the limo?

The above letter from Anne is already being touted as being fodder for the internet ‘urban legend’ category. Is the letter real, is Anne real? According to WILLIAM YARDLEY’s New York Times article, Palin’s Start in Alaska: Not Politics as Usual, Anne is definitely real.

In America, we can say, write and think what we want to. Well, for now anyway.

Bashing Anne seems pointless. She’s entitled to her opinion. She has the right to put whatever she wants to say on-line. She seems smart enough to know that if she posts something untrue or malicious, she could be held libel. Most of these facts would be easy enough to verify.

It seems interesting to me that while the same stiuations were happening in our country 40 years ago, we had people pounding the streets protesting. Today, we admonish this woman for speaking her mind in a clear and direct manner.

Coincidentaly, I live in Wisconsin and still hold a personal grudge against Tommy Thompson for all of the selfish policies he enacted while our governor. I hold a personal grudge and he doesn’t even know me. We have the right to hold our own opinions. We have the ability to allow our opinions to develop given the information that we receive. I think Anne is justified in holding a grudge or being bitter.

Anne is right in thinking that Alaska is her state, she lives there. She has not only a right, but an obligation to speak the truth as she knows it to be. I’m glad she did.

And by the way – even if you’re only “leaking” amniotic fluid, you go to the hospital right away to protect your unborn baby. Once the fluid sac is comprimised, an unborn baby can contract a fatal infection very quickly. Mothers whose water has broken are administered IV antibiotics right away. I’m relatively sure she wasn’t honest with the airline operators regarding her medical condition. There’s not a pilot alive that would be willing to fly a loboring woman (broken water is considered laboring) 14 hours. Also, first babies can take a long time to deliver, but the subsequent ones are known to be much faster. Considering her age and the fact that Trig was her 5th child, her choice was very irresponsible and selfish.

Thank you for posting this. I watched last night having not made a decision yet on who to vote for. I gotta tell you – I wasn’t that impressed with Governor Palin. While she seems to be a strong minded woman who doesn’t mind going for something she wants, a “Maverick” I didn’t see. I felt she was talking around the issues for her lack of experience. While she did what was expected and began propping John McCain every other breath,. She didnt’ give me as a woman who has had three children serve this country (2 in Iraq) and one getting ready to enlist, much hope for the Republican’s plan of action for this war. Victory in sight – I have been hearing Mr. Bush say this for a while and yet, still nothing of substance. The American people want to hear a plan, anything, not just that victory is in sight. Both of my boys (22, 23) who were over there, say that what is there, isn’t working and they are frustrated by the current administration’s attitude about this war and want and pray that someone whether it is the McCain or Obama adminstration will come up with a solid plan and quit talking down to us as if we don’t have anything at stake.

Also, I wanted to hear more from her about what their administration will do about the economy and jobs. I live in a state that a lot of businesses have downsized and or relocated to Mexico. I personally know a lot of men/women affected by it. I don’t want to hear her dribble about the other candidates and their lack of qualifications or their convention – I want to hear their plan.

While she should be commended for getting as far as she has in such a short time, I think he mean spirited attitude towards other candidates qualifications was laughable. I do like Mr. McCain but wonder about his choice as the Vice President. She electrified the convention because she is a pretty face sad to say – and speaks her mind – but there was no substance and this mother of 5 was not impressed. I will watch tonight to see Mr. McCain accept his party’s nomination and hope that his speech will show me more because so far, his running mate hasn’t.

The thing that is amazing about Anne’s letter, is that with all the time since Sarah Palin’s announcement, that the whole Democratic machine didn’t have these facts. Wow.. Anne must be so much on the inside (she knows so much about Tom’s job, how much fishing contributes to the family income, etc.) that even the Democrats could not pull most all the public information into a package they could use to deflate the choice before she even had a chance to take the stage last night..

BTW, according to Sarah’s sister she got the nickname “Barracuda” at a basketball camp, not around town.

“I was told that she hated that job: the …. Commission” Who told you this? Names please, so that they can validate or refute the picture you paint.

Credit for attempting to come across as “balanced” but it is clear your bias is against, not for.

“She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular
girl in middle school… men.. because she is a “babe” – Interesting comment to make out at the start. As someone else said, sounds like she stole the guy you liked (sorry for shallow nature of the comment, but yours clearly leaves the door open for it.

Your views on her aggressive behavior comes across at times as tyrannical. Surely with 80% approval rating there must be more than a few people who like what she is doing and aren’t approving the job she’s done because they’re intimidated.

I gotta say Anne, despite all the so-called best intentions, you sound like the woman who just is perhaps just a bit jealous of the successes she has, by most all accounts, earned for herself. Sounds like you had “similar” areas of local contribution and you are wondering “why her and not me”.

All this said, I appreciate the desire to contribute.. At least you are involved enough to state a position. Too many people, on both sides, in reality know very little about who they are voting for or why and follow the polls and/or media to make their choices.

wow after reading this ladies letter i called my brother who lives in wasilla had him read it for himself and he said most of this stuff she wrote is not true.
also he said he is having a hard time finding the lady who wrote the letter.
like someone said sounds like ms palin stole her prom date hahaha
i guess we are going to hear a lot of stuff like this from both sides.
i wonder why no one is talking about joe libermans son who is a lobbist

Glad to read your post even though I disagree with most everything you say. Only thing that’s correct is that she’s a seasoned speaker. Yes, she electrified the convention of white, far right wingers who believe they are “special” and God loves them more than anyone, the same thoughts as the people in the Taliban.

“She should not be judged because she has conservative views–many of Americans feel this is an asset” – by conservative do you mean intolerant? Yes, many Americans are intolerant and full of hate. But she’s not fiscally conservative, she voted for the Bridge to Nowhere and when it wasn’t built she kept the funds. Oh, and she left her little town $20 million in debt without new roads or sewage facilities. How’s that sports complex?

The last part of your note is downright scary:

I would be comfortable with her if she ended up being President. I think as the song says “God is Watching us” (Bette Midler).

ARE YOU KIDDING? What makes you think she’s qualified? We just had a born-again president for 8 years who reveled in his ignorance and look where we are – $3 trillion in debt to the Chinese, stuck in a horrible war with no end in sight, the Taliban and Al Qaeda are stronger than ever, and the economy will be in the tank for years. How’s the value on your home doing, too?

I was impressed with Sarah Palin and feel she totally electrified this convention. She is obviously a seasoned speaker. She comes across as sincere, exciting and willing to do what it takes to make this a better country. She should not be judged because she has conservative views–many of Americans feel this is an asset. Many comments, I feel, have been driven by jealousy and fear. I would be comfortable with her if she ended up being President. I think as the song says “God is Watching us” (Bette Midler). I will definitely vote for McCain/Palin and challenge any liberal to be brave enough to do the same. Do what is right. It is time this country went back to the basics–values. Sexist, get over it. She has what it takes! God Bless her and God Bless America!!

Kaye Mayers said:
“I was impressed with Sarah Palin… …obviously a seasoned speaker… … comes across as sincere, exciting and willing to do what it takes… …She should not be judged because she has conservative views–many of Americans feel this is an asset…”

I on the other hand was not impressed. She is clearly not someone who is worthy of the Republican Nomination. Not from an ethics perspective, not from an honesty perspective (given the outright lies within her speech about her opponents), and most certainly from a capabilities perspective. She has never managed ANYTHING that would amount to a scale of a few people, and clearly her policy decisions have only served her needs politically rather than the needs of her constituents. There is strong evidence to the facts presented in the above letter from Anne, and it holds true with the other investigative journalism by respectable news sources, even with this written well ahead of things like the New York Times expose on her time as Mayor.

“…Many comments, I feel, have been driven by jealousy and fear.”

Fear for many is a strong motivator. But nobody going to be jealous of her. After all, what is there to be jealous about? Would you want the job of Vice President and possibly one day president if McCain were to expire in office, or become incapacitated for any length of time? A few days ago, when she was told she was his nominee, she responded that she had no idea what the job of the Vice President entailed, and wasn’t sure if she wanted the job, she’d have to see if it would allow her to bring some benefit to the residents of her home state of Alaska. This position is for Vice President of the USA. This is a national office, not a state leadership role. Alaska by itself doesn’t even come into play other than being a state in the union (with all due respect to Alaska) and she didn’t even have the vision or the knowledge of what the job is about. One doesn’t become the Vice President to worry over Alaska alone. You have to be prepared to lead the entire country, to think and plan for everyone’s needs.

This is a politician who just plain doesn’t have the qualifications lead. She exhibits no leadership skills other than the ability to deliver a speech that she very likely didn’t even write herself.

If you are a lifelong Republican, her appointment is a slap in the face of many, many more people (and women!) who are more qualified from a managerial perspective, vastly more intelligent, with a much stronger chance of giving McCain true substance. If you have any sense you’ll get on the phone to your Republican representatives to the convention and get her off the ticket immediately.

wow after reading this ladies letter i called my brother who lives in wasilla had him read it for himself and he said most of this stuff she wrote is not true.
also he said he is having a hard time finding the lady who wrote the letter.
like someone said sounds like ms palin stole her prom date hahaha
i guess we are going to hear a lot of stuff like this from both sides.
i wonder why no one is talking about joe libermans son who is a lobbist

First, nobody encountering this information for the first time in the letter can be certain whether it’s true or not. Anyone who takes an absolute stand either way is a fool.

The ones who dismiss it out of hand are the bigger fools, though.

But even if Palin were perfect, anyone who is therefore encouraged to support McCain is the biggest fool of all. When a presidential candidate picks a polar opposite for a running mate, it NEVER says anything about him moderating his own position.

Reagan was not more Liberal just because he picked Bush, a Liberal running mate.

Dole wasn’t less Liberal because he picked Kemp, a Reaganite, as a running mate.

John McCain is as Liberal as Hillary…he could have chosen a reincarnated Thomas Jefferson as his running mate, and that wouldn’t change. The harm he’d do to the country as a Liberal running the anti-Liberal party, therefore crippling the only real defense we have against socialism, would be titanic.

At least if openly socialistic Obama wins, the Republican party will FIGHT him, tooth and nail, its leadership suddenly rediscovering Conservatism, something they abandoned when Clinton left office.

McCain will be able to pass Liberal evils that Obama would fail to pass, like a trillion dollars in environmental taxes and regulations, amnesty for illegal aliens, and Liberal supreme court justices, without the Republicans fighting him.

Interesting piece. Informative. But I agree with the sentiment that this is just one perspective. Everybody’s got enemies and it sounds like this woman and Palin didn’t quite see eye to eye. Each may hold a grudge about the other. I’ll take this with a grain of salt. I’m sure there are very similar stories for people who know Barack, Joe, and John. If I had all day, I’d google and find them.

In the end, no candidate or politician is perfect- I hear that. In fact, most are very far from it. But despite this piece, Palin remains highly popular and inspirational to many people. Further, she gives the impression that she is intelligent and competent (though perhaps not as experienced as one would prefer). I still like her and am enjoying learning more about her (good or bad).

I think her incredible popularity must be a threat to a lot of folks, particularly Barack fans (since she has sucked the wind out of his sails in recent days).

If the McSame/Palin ticket wins I am moving to Mexico or Canada. I will not sign up for 4-more years of this garbage. Who cares if this post is true or not. The fact of the matter is that Palin could not pull this off if she were from anywhere else but Alaska. I love Alaska…been there many times, but let’s get real (can’t wait to see how this thing with the ex-brother in law turns out). Palin is nothng more than a pawn in the GOP chess game…McSame had to pick her. He was already behind the 8-ball. McSame/Romney is what everyone wanted and probably needed to see. If anyone thinks Palin is going to cherry pick those “18-million cracks in the ceiling that Hillary left” is crazy! She’s too right wing for Hillary’s supporters. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Wow –
Didn’t Anne also start the rumor about Trigg being Sara’s baby?
Nice touch adding that the Mayors office was redecorated numerous times. If that isn’t attacking a woman on “girl stereo types” I don’t know what is.

I hardly think Anne is “brave” for writing this letter. It looks to me like just another small-town housewife looking for her fifteen minutes. The letter is well-written, and certainly parts of it are factual – I’ll give her that – but it comes across as vitriol cloaked under a “well-meaning” letter.

Wow, so you guys are actually taking this at face value? If somthing similar was posted about “Barack Hussien Obama” everyone would be up in arms about an internet smear campaign. Sure it may be true but have we really sunk to believing forwarded emails posted with a Hotmail account? Seriously guys this is the kind of stuff my 85 year old aunt sends me.

Not only is this a strait forward open letter to Sarah Palin, but included at the end is the facts on WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND ON THE ISSUES. No one can claim ignorance. This is about facts, truth and lies.

I am a 35 year old working, middle class mother of five living in So. California. I have been a Republican since my great ancestor Richard Stockton, signed the Declaration of Independence. I am an ex-police officer, and now I own my own business. This is the first time I changed my party. I am voting for Obama and Biden. I saw Sarah Palin’s speech last night. I have watched both conventions closely. I have studied on the issues. I have read articles on major news networks, and blogs. I have listened to NPR, radio talk shows, and television shows. This election, I am making the right choice.

My family got hit with the economy’s upward spiral of surging gas prices, and we have no health care. We have felt it at the grocery store. We now shop at the 99 cents store. We have lost one of our vehicles, on the verge of losing our home and are three months behind an astonishing amount of debt that we once was able to afford.

This election, I am taking my life back, I am taking my country back. I have heard the arguments on both sides. I know Obama’s back story, I know McCain’s back story, and I got to know Biden’s. Now it was Sarah Palin’s turn. As I watched last night, I was waiting just like the rest of us to see what she was going to say. Now I was going to get to know her. The fact that she has five children (weather or not the fifth baby is hers or not), and she has this unbelievably fortunate position of running for Vice President, I cannot help but to root for her.

I know how hard it is to raise five children. I have a 16 year old, 15 year old, 12 year old, 4 year old, and 2 year old. I know how hard it is to juggle between working and raising my children. I have tried the stay at home route, especially when the children were months old-but always had to go back to work to have the extra income. I chose to own my own business, because that was the only way I can make enough to meet the high cost of a family of seven.

I want to see a woman in office. I want to see a mother of five showing America, “it can be done”. Of course I have concerns about how the children will manage without their mother. I know that a baby with Down Syndrome will take a lot of time, love and patience that as Vice President there will be no way it will be physically possible for her to be there the amount of time needed. So essentially, her husband will take on that role, or her family. As any mother, you cannot help to have your attention focused on your kids, your family-even while you work.

It doesn’t mean you cannot perform excellently. It does not mean that a mother cannot make powerful decisions, and be completely reliable and competent. I was a single mother with three children and a police officer. It can be done.

I created a blog, Thank God For Mommy (http://www.ThankGodForMommy.com)
where I dispel the notion that just because you are a mom you can’t reach for your dreams. That you can’t have it all. I talk about everything from paintings to
filming two movies pregnant as a co producer one here in the states and another in Cuba. I talk about how I continue to make films, and I continue to pursue my physical fitness, continue to educate myself and live a life for myself and my children. My four daughters and one son see that I make it happen.

So, when I saw Sarah Palin on the ticket, I thought ‘wow, this is validating’. I loved the fact she was a mother of five, and worried at the same time. This is a huge country. This is not Alaska, population 9,000. I cannot, we cannot, afford another four years and I am scared to death to let a Republican in the White House, but Sarah-she might be the one to make a difference.

So she gets on stage, and she looks great. Then she starts to talk. I waited for her to talk about her family. But, all she did was talk about how many kids she has, and the fact she has a special needs baby. She talked about her husband, and what a normal guy he was. She talked about being a pit bull hockey mom. But, I was still waiting. I remember listening Michelle Obama’s speech. Talk about her family, her roots, her beliefs, her parents, and grandparents. I got to know Michelle Obama that night.

Half way thru Sarah’s speech, she starts to lie, blatantly. Like really aggressive lying about Obama. The way she spoke about him, making fun of community service (wow), and that he has ‘devoted followers’, the stage he stood on, him trying to save the planet (like a world leader), how she twisted the words of things he said about running his campaign, etc and on and on. She said we have no idea where Obama stands on anything, um…anyone who has a computer can just Google it for Godssakes. My jaw dropped. I thought she would take the higher road. I thought I was going to hear about who she is, but she talked about Obama, Obama, Obama. On and on she went, it got uglier and uglier and she got uglier and uglier.

Oh, no. I thought. This is more of the same. She fed the hate mongers in the crowd raw hate. They gobbled it up. Where was the speech about what type of person she was, her belief system, her values her promises to our country? She seemed completely inauthentic, and smug. ‘Shrill’ is how one person put it.

I want to rally on the side of a working mother of five. I want to have compassion for her teen daughter’s pregnancy. I do. But, the Right wing conservatives have been such a proponent against that. Wasn’t also Sarah’s stance also against it? Now, what? They are covering for one of their own?

Due to the fact that there is rarely any specific information on where the candidates stand, I put this together referencing from a non biased site. I did not put all of it here, due to reading time and space. But, the major topics I did put. I was surprised to find how little information on where Sarah Palin stands on issues, and on some (like immigration) there was just nothing. Obama’s in comparison was very lengthy. There is no excuses as to where the candidates stand on the issues. Here it is in black and white.

Geez, all of the “Thank you so much for writing this” “it is so clear and well written” “my mind is now made up” BS.. is just as hilarious and ridiculous as those who made their decision based on the “Obama is the anti-Christ” email. Come on! How is a letter that totally contradicts itself completely clear? How is someone who says that they have been on the outs since 96 thought to seriously be writing an unbiased piece?

Its sad that so many of you seem so educated and well written yourselves, but still buy crap like this.

And no, the risk from leaking amniotic fluid is NOT that high. MDs insist that you deliver within 24 hrs of breaking water because of infection risk after that point, but its only because of liability reasons. The increased risk really isnt all that great til closer to 48-72 hrs. Those in the medical field know this, but dont want to be held liable if an infection were to happen.. and they know that infection is NOT at all likely within the first 24 hrs (and she delivered within 24 hrs). Many women leak amniotic fluid and have NO idea. She just happens to be an experienced mother who knew her body well and knew what was going on with it.

I learned long ago that words from someone who had been hurt by another are naturally biased by that experience. The term “sour grapes” comes to mind.
While it seems that the information is factual, we must consider the source and the underlying motivation for bringing it to light.

If this woman has the right to write about someone like this, and all the information in it is truthful, and she claims to know her, why didn’t she sign her name at the end of the letter? This way Sarah could respond to this coward who tells us her opinions, without letting us know who she is. Now that’s truthful…

Interesting to me how people can be so quick to criticize when someone actually steps up to the plate, says what she believes, sticks to her principles, and accomplishes her goals. She could easily have gotten an abortion and not had to deal with a special needs child. She could easily have insisted her daughter get an abortion so she wouldn’t be a “public embarrassment”, but NO – they both actually took responsibility for their own actions. Odd how that aggravates so many people.
And as far as giving the windfall profits from the oil companies back to the people – I applaud her. What’s wrong with giving back money to the people it came from in the first place? Also, it’s funny that in our politically correct world the idea of standing up for what’s right is not all that politically correct. This article does have some merit, but it is certainly tinged with some small town/small mind sour grapes.

It has been a little while since I’ve mentioned this, but will do so again. She did sign her name and her name is mentioned in her letter.
She also provided an email address requesting that if this was posted on a website, that it be removed, a request which I honored.
I realize that Anne’s letter is long and reading could be tough especially when the objective is to get in, write a negative comment and exit as quickly as possible.

Anne,
Maybe you should left out that Palin hated you since 1996… Now you have no Credibility what-so-ever.
Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself WHY she hates you????
I take it your jealous of her success!!

Tom says: “Sounds like Sarah stole this writer’s date to the prom or her daughter beat out this woman’s daughter for cheerleader or her husband got in a skirmish with Sarah’s husband or . . . . I could go on and on.”

1WhoKnows says: “Hmmmm…whatsa matter, Annie? Still PO’d that Sarah’s date for the prom was the boy you had the crush on?? Stay in HS if you want. The rest of us are grown-ups now. Get over it.”

—————

I say: Are you people serious?! Can we possibly get beyond all the short, petty, snide commentary, and debate real issues? Can’t we disagree in a respectful way, without these absolutely childish character attacks?

Obviously written by a liberal hack, but made to look authentic…look at the STATS – who says EXPENDITURES?? And that is weak, she was Mayor for 2-terms, revenues and expenditures will rise, and a big jump is nothing in a small town with small budgets. You are reaching dude.

Good job with this letter. When I heard this ladie was elected for VP I saw right through what the Republicans were attempting to do. They realize they have zero chance of winning with two Men running because it is so much of the same of what they have done. This lady came out of nowhere and has zero qualifications for being VP. Thank you for giving voters (which isn’t me I’m just an observer frm accross the border who cried when Bush was elected a second time) some background on a candidate who no one has ever heard of before.. Bad move Republicans.. and lets face it. They only have a Woman VP running because it was their only shot in hell of even having a chance. Shallow. lol

Wow what a great post. I am going to re-post it to my blog, and my Facebook, because I think it’s an incredibly detailed, thorough analysis of her positions and why she would be so dangerous and destructive for this country.

As a left-leaning independent voter and lover of animals, I take issue with referring to conservatives and GOP members as “sheep”. It doesn’t take a degree in biology or experience observing wildlife to determine that these people are lemmings. Lemmings. Not sheep.

Wow! The Libs really are a dull minded bunch. I’m with those who are asking if any of this has been validated, cited, checked for accuracy. If I were Anne or this hosting website, I would be concerned about slander lawsuits. Secondly, Anne talks about how Sarah didn’t run the town while she was mayor, a committee did. So, why is she blaming Sarah for all the unsourced financial mishap, if indeed Sarah wasn’t running the show??? Think through this people, your circular thinking will lead you right off a cliffside. Check the facts and USE your brains. The positive replies in this ALL sound like plants to me. Kinda like the rabble rousers planted at the RNC last night that had to be escorted out because they couldn’t behave themselves. Don’t give out estimates or polls, give me real numbers, not your biased hipshot. And yes to validate the suspicion, we have a couple of people who work here in our Colorado office who are native to Alaska and can Validate Sarah’s genuiness and have heard of Anne’s grudges. Ha! Caught you read-handed Anne.

The facts about Wasilla and her term as Maoyr seem easy enought to verify:

Was Wasilla debt-free when she entered office? Was in 22m in debt when she left? Did she leave projects like sewage treatment incomplete, or even unstarted?
Did you instead build a boondoggle ice hockey rink?
Did she attempt to fire the librarian?
Did she wish to ban books?

These are all important questions, and they each have factual, verifyiable answers, which have nothing to do with spin or bias.

If the answers to these questions are YES (and it sounds that way) then no, I dont want this woman anywhere near the White House.

Well, this is obviously a site run by a pro Obama Democrat, that’s clear. Talk about an egomaniac with little or no experience, that’s Barack Obama.
Ever look at his signature? It’s all ego and lots of secrets. Looks like a doctor’s prescription that you can’t read. I am voting for Palin Power and the rest of you liberal bloggers can do as you wish, but you haven’t fooled me with your blah blah blah.

Well, I must say, this is an interesting lot of comments. However, the democrats had their opportunity to put a woman in office. The most qualified candidate in the democratic party is, arguably, Hillary Clinton. When she did not win the nomination and should have been made VP by default, Mr. Righteous Obama kicked her to the curb and appointed one of the Washington good old boys. Interesting how afraid the party that preaches equality and political correctness was afraid to have a woman on the ticket. The fact is, they will promote a woman to a degree, but not if it will interfere with the men getting ahead. This makes Nancy Pelosi a fool for allowing them to use her as a token female to further their cause. I think it is obvious now who is interested in improving and supporting America and who is interested in power and furthering their own careers.

BTW, I am not Democrat nor am I Republican. I am registered as NPA – No Party Affiliation. What that means is that I can think for myself and I don’t have anyone telling me who or what I should stand for (or vote for).

I believe one of the biggest problems facing our nation is a serious drug problem. Once I learned that Obama had been both a marijuana and cocaine user, I determined he would be soft on these crimes on society and that they would continue to destroy our families, our neighborhoods, our educational systems, and our workplaces. For that reason alone, I would find it very easy to vote for McCain/Palin who have at least expressed that drugs are a detriment to America.

There are many other reasons I would not vote for Obama including the most obvious one – the slap in the face he gave Hillary Clinton after he blatantly tried to use her to bring his party together. She should go independent and teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget.

Why are people so eager to believe anything negative about someone? This letter was posted anonymously by an unverified source. It may be real and it may be BS. Try basing your opinions on facts and not off of some anonymous verbiage on the internet.

If you want to know what kind of president or vice president a person will be just look at the state they came from and read what the ppl have to say about her.

Thank you Anne for the insight. Perhaps censorship is her way of covering up her own sordid ways. She’s escalated from ‘barracuda’ to ‘great white.’ Doesn’t she know you don’t bite the hand that feeds you?

re: your first post (5:37 p.m.) – are you suggesting that the only reason Hillary Clinton was not tapped as VP is because she is a woman? Are you suggesting some type of institutional misogyny within the Dems? Im not sure we’ll have any meaningful dialogue if that’s your stance. There are many reasons Hillary Clinton was not selected, two very important ones being that it was not a job that she wanted, and because Clinton and Obama are not close (its not dissimilar to McCain and Bush in 2000 – do you think Bush should have chosen McCain back then?)

re: your second post (5:55) – I would direct you to the attached link. Alaskan State Troopers have dubbed Wasilla the “methamphetamine capital of Alaska.” Happy reading!

Thanks for posting the letter, I think it is making its way around… I think her speech last night was just incredible… in the end, if McCain gets elected, it will be Palin who got him there (or at least a big boost).

That is extremely significant. She did a very good job of writing her opinion in a very fair and balanced way.
I’m up in Canada so this issue doesn’t realy effect me much but I still find it amazing that someone, in two years, can go from being a mayor in Alaska to having (essentially) a 50% chance of being the Vice-President of one of the most powerful countries in the world, under the oldest president that country has ever had. Good stuff.
The funniest part about all of this is that Canada could end up having an election for Prime Minister around the same time as your presidential election, except that it hasn’t been announced yet. We can organize an election in two months, and it takes the US pretty much two years. It’s fun to be us.
– Izi

I thought Palin was a good pick when I first heard about her and did a little research. The more I learn about her the less I think this is the case. (I was never going to vote McCain anyway)

“she can read a teleprompter”

Let’s she how she does in the debate and if she holds up to the scrutiny of the media and everyone else. I think we as a nation should re-focus on McCain and Obama though, since those are the guys at the top of the ticket. Remember, the VP is a foil for the CiC, not the other way around – we shouldn’t be looking at the VP as a “backup president” like it seems we are.

WOW!!!! Alaksans must indeed be naive to have elected this despicable person as Governor and now to give her an 80% favorable rating. Of course, I suppose that it is possible that she has been able to “intimidate” over 400,000 citizens intto supporting her. But then it doesn’t seem too logical does it?

As an independent, somewhat sort of a “maverick” myself, I have never voted a “straight ticket ” in any election since I first voted at age 21. My vote is a privilege and a responsibility of my membership in this magnificent Nation, and I examine every candidate before I spend my priceless “collateral” in any election. I wish, as a mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother, I could ask Mrs. Palin, face to face, one question. How, in the name of all that is, not just motherly, but holy, humane , and Godly, can a mother throw a daughter into the public “pond of piranha” knowing the feeding frenzy and public humiliation she will face? On national television! Only the most unbelievably consummate ambition could not wait a few more years to fulfill ones own “priorities”! A precious, beautiful daughter stripped naked to the “wolves” of public scrutiny at perhaps the most sensitive and vulnerable moment of her young life! When she needed MOST the loving security and privacy within her family?!To ANY mother, this is an APPALLING lack of ANY of the qualities we look for in our governing hierarchy, and shows the kind of value system we deplore in any of our elected officials – the drive of ambition which puts any value in peril if it interferes with goals! This isn’t an act of “experience”, or lack therof, but an indication of a true value system, which is so essential for us to know in our choice of our new leaders! What else would be sacrificed if it interfered with progress toward personal /political goals? ” That’s my question. I think I already know the answer. I don’t want this for my Vice-President/President in Waiting – (and Im glad we’re not voting for “Mother of the Year” for “Mother of the Year” either!) .

I read today that Limbaugh started the put-Palin-on-the-VP-ticket chant a while back. Can anyone verify this?

If it’s true, it might be that the extreme right has commandeered McCain’s campaign. He was never that right-wing (though no progressive, of course) so this pick is extremely fishy to me. I’ve also read that Palin was nowhere close to his first pick, and that he had never met her before a couple of weeks ago.

If you also factor in her ties to big corps. in Alaska (oil, big-box, etc.) and the fact that she came out of relative obscurity with LOTS of political backing and WITHOUT any real administrative/political experience (sound familiar?), then it’s possible that those same backers have now foisted her onto the McCain bandwagon.

And, as others have mentioned already, given McCain’s age . . . this really should be cause for concern.

there’s little doubt the author of this letter isn’t a huge fan of Palin.
But the things she mentions (even the redecoration of the office) are verifiable. In fact, few of the facts she puts forward are impossible to check.

I am always wary of people who attack career-oriented, ambitious women. It’s too easy to say she’s cutthroat, when a man with a similar “take no prisoner” attitude would be applauded. But my vote stops when she starts using her power for petty revenge. The case of her firing 2 people she was in conflict with (directly or not) makes me doubtful as to her ability not to abuse an even greater office.

All’s fair in war and politics I suppose. I remember when Clinton ran, back in 1992… all the extreme wingers were prophesying the horrid ruin of the nation… the repeal of the 22nd Amendment for a dictatorship and on and on and on. Then Bush came along. The extreme wingers proshesied the horrid ruin of the nation… the repeal of the 22nd Amendment for a dictatorship and on and on and on. And now the extreme wingers are having a ball with each ticket in this cycle. Politics hasn’t changed. The names changed but the faces seem the same. Move out from under the mud. Rise above the rhetoric. Examine the resume’s of each in the race. Make a choice.

The writer of the letter gave her full name and her job title further along in the letter (well, volunteering job, at least – voter registrar in Wasilla). And no, I’m not her. But the letter rings true and sounds like a personal letter.

It’s going to take more than a copy and paste – along with an embellishment – of a Wikipedia article and put the name “Anne” on it. The funny fact here, Obama’s campaign raised $10M in one day following her speech. Somehow, the Democrats are not very cocky anymore.

There’s a lot been said here, with an awful lot of the Allstar American Acrimony. But I noted only one reader who said he/she would change their vote!
What a waste. I pledge not to do this again; I actually have work to do.

Most valuable read I have come across on the subject of Sarah Palin, absolutely pure gold. All this considering her family is “off limits” when the GOP was all over the Clinton family when Bill cheated on Hillary with his intern, also what I would deem something “off limits” and part of their family business. Plain and simple, GOP doesn’t like to play fair, they can sure dish it out, but they can never take the load of crap they tend to huff onto everyone against them when it is turned back onto them. Sarah Palin is a joke to me, my 10 year old niece even called McCain an idiot when she was told (after asking) in a non bias way who Sarah Palin was, and what she had done to give her any experience to be VP ( my niece was told that she had been a mayor in Alaska for 6 yrs, and then the Governor of Alaska for 2 years). If a 10 year old can see the OBVIOUS flaw, why can’t the campaign of a 72 year old GROWN man? Who by all means is supposed to be all kinds of honorable? G-d help us! we need it now! Oy!

what an obvious fabrication. if this stuff were true the mainstream, leftist media that is searching for anything to pin on Gov. Palin would already have reported it. thanks for a couple of laughs though.

If you would like to discuss the candidates without the venom, and it frustrates you as it does me to see each third comment be a biased attack in either direction, please visit:

PowerfulPeace.WordPress.com

We all have a lot of energy to spend, and it’s encouraging to see so much passion in important matters…but each of us shares the desire to see children and our homes safe. Let’s take our egos out of the driver’s seat and re-focus together on our common interests.

Someone’s going to win the election. Whoever it is probably isn’t half as evil as the detractors imply, and whoever loses probably isn’t half as heroic as the supporters would try to convince. Let’s work to become a single nation so we can most positively influence our domestic and global neighborhoods.

Hey don’t tell anyone, no really, I swear, well my friend swears, he told me about the guy who swore to his friend… but anyway… here’s the thing… I heard Sarah Palin is hiding an extra face behind all that hair! (gasp!)

So this ploy might work in getting the Alphabet News Minions to re-post this stuff or parts of it because they won’t go and dig for themselves. AND it ‘s what they want to hear. But who watches those foolks anyway?

So Anne, your secret is safe with us. We won’t tell anyone, BTW… my uncle has this fortune in Nigeria and the cost of the Lawyers is so little but the millions of Euros that will be freed… if only you’ll believe. Please believe Anne, the millions… oh… the millions.

Brian (8:49) – keep watching. This is just beginning. Ms. Kilkenny has reported receiving hundreds of emails, inquiries, invites for interviews, appearances, etc. Do a google news search. Frankly, her comments have been very kind – she is not interested in being used as a tool to smear Palin. Nevertheless, this will all be picked through quite closely. And some of it is going to stick. So while youre enjoying a good laugh now, keep the Rolaids nearby.

Nice liberal slant on Sarah by someone with an ax to grind. Time will tell if there is any truth to it. Nice ammunition if it is, but I doubt any of it bubbles to the top of the Dems campaign rhetoric. Game on!

Tisk! Tisk! Tisk! I thought that the intent of forwarding this information was highly questionable. I do not care how close someone says they are to anybody. I have found that in my 56 yrs. of living life with all of its twists and turns, that you cannot really trust people. Pro or con w/Sara Palin and her political record, angelic or the devil, a “BABE” or the ugly duckling, tough or timid, rich or poor, I will make up my own mind about her. I will discern her for myself. SO far, I have decided that as long as she does not abort babies w/down’s syndrome, or abort human life for any reason, she WILL BE my choice for VP. I don’t care about “MAVERICKS, BARRACUDAS, BRICK WALLS OR BACK STABBERS, can she fight for me as an American? I think can she can. I trust God that she must.

Some of this information has appeared elsewhere. The author’s voice rings true. Launching a big construction project may have been well-intentioned, but for whose benefit? The Iditarod race starts in Wasilla, maybe she expected it to become a world-class resort? She abandoned Wasilla for the bright lights & big city — seems like that’s what she’s craved all along. Boundless ambition.

First of all (and this is coming from a woman), anyone who thinks Hillary Clinton has “good looks” in common with Sarah Palin is obviously an idiot. Their ONLY commonality is that they are both women. End of comparison.

Secondly, I agree with those who are of the opinion that this was written by someone who Palin has obviously pissed off.

Point to consider: Ever had the experience of working with, or under, someone who wasn’t the best person for their job? And the only reason they were put into (and continued to hold) that position was because of a “connection” higher up? So how does their longevity in that position suddenly equate to having better “experience?”

Sarah Palin more then likely got rid of the people she did because they hadn’t proven themselves to be the best, most effective, persons for their positions. In some circles that’s considered “reform,” which is usually a good thing.

Sarah Palin is a name we’d gotten to know quite awhile back. My sister lives in Nome. She HAD BEEN about as “far-right” as one could get…UNTIL Gov Palin was elected.

The letter from Palin’s neighbor…was not new information to us. Unfortunately, unless this becomes public knowledge, it’ll sit out here in cyberspace.

Palin criticized Sen Clinton regarding the supposed “media-bias”… A paraphrase of what she said was that it was…playing the gender card by whining and complaining. She should be able to ‘take it’ like the other candidates.

UH! Excuse me…but isn’t this exactly what the RNC is accusing the media of right now! Mc Cain said, regarding Palin being vetted…”She was vetted for hours”.

HOURS! Is he serious?? I wrote a post titled…An Interesting “Vetting” Comparison. This let’s you see how extensive my husband was vetted to secure a position within the US Department of Energy. He was an Analytical Chemist. He is now a medical professional.

Thank you so much for making this information available to us…your readers!

This letter speaks volumes. When I first heard the announcement of Palin’s name for VP, I could not believe my ears. Then I learned of her circumstances and just became angry. She alrady has a full time job and I am not speaking of being governor. The position of VP in our government at this time seems to me to be very demanding and certainly should be accepted by someone who can rivit their full attention in the time of a crises but how on earth could this be possible with her young children and one severely handcapped baby? Let her come to this position after her family is older and she has more experience. Maybe then she will have done something substantial, learned a lot and have something to bring to the table. Get her out of here.

I for one believe everything the Republicans have said over the last eight years. We will find Saddam’s WMD yet. I know they are outhere because “W” said so. Hey did Senator McCain ever denounce the people at two of his recorded campaign stops where Senator Clinton was called a bitch? Was that sexist and denigrating or is it alright if you are a Democrat? Hey where did the Enron workers pensions go? Our economy is strong. All of you unemployed people quit whining. It’s all in your heads. And we are thankful for $3.00 plus a gallon gas after wavering at $5.00 a gallon. President Putin didn’t you hear what we said? Pull out of Georgia. We are the USA. We will show you the prowess of our fighting forces as soon as we can regroup and bring them home from Afghanistan and Iraq right after we get through paying extortion to K. Korea and saber rattling with Iran. IS it true Mcain got into the Navel academy because he was the son and grandson of admirals? Is that affirmative action the old fashioned American way? He graduated fifth from the BOTTOM of his class? Did President Bush get into Yale B-school because his grandaddy’s name was on the gymnasium? Certainly thats not preferential treatment? See fascism is good and they are our friends! karl Rove said it. To hell with Congress. I don’t have to answer to them.

Got any more of that kool aid? I’m still thirsty. If you’ll excuse me its time to go listen to the erudite, fair and balanced Fox news. Everything they say is true and unbiased. After that we’re off to see the wizard!

JUNEAU, Alaska — When Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sought to illustrate her frugality to delegates at the GOP convention Wednesday, she described how she disposed of a corporate jet acquired by her unpopular predecessor.

“That luxury jet was over the top,” Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, said to loud cheers. “I put it on eBay.”

Palin’s statement implied a sale of the plane through the online auction site revered for empowering millions of small entrepreneurs, and Palin’s spokeswoman, Maria Comella, insisted Thursday that the transaction occurred.

But the plane failed to sell on eBay. Instead, the plane, a 23-year-old 10-seat Westwind II, was sold in August 2007 for $2.1 million to a Valdez, Alaska, entrepreneur — about $300,000 less than a broker’s asking price, according to press accounts.

Also, while Palin characterized the plane as an extravagance of former Gov. Frank Murkowski, who arranged for its purchase in November 2005, the plane saw heavy use transporting Alaskan convicts, according to flight records and interviews with corrections officials.

Alaska does not have adequate prison capacity and contracts for space with a private facility near Phoenix. On Thursday, 24 percent of the 4,546 Alaskans in jail or in prison were serving their time at Arizona’s Red Rock Correctional Center, said Richard Schmitz, spokesman for the Alaska Department of Corrections.

That’s all great… but there’s one serious problem, and that is she supports the Republican platform. Her political beliefs are what matter most in this campaign, and that’s all the reason I need to not vote for McCain/Palin.

I am not impressed with the letter Anne Kilkenny has seen fit to send around the Internet, nor do I believe everything she has written! She claims Sarah Palin has hated her since 1998, but he rhetoric is proof she is the one who hates Sarah Palin. After doing some research on Ms. Kilkenny, she should have told the public some things about herself that could show she has her own agenda! She is a member of Emily’s List….a group of DEMOCRAT women who are pro choice and ultra liberal…the opposite of what Sarah Palin believes. Howcould anyone as biased as Ms. Kilkenny be objective? Is she sponsored by MoveOn.org? I don’t know, but one blogger suggested she was. Sorry, Ms. Kilkenny, you belong to a group who tries to destroy their opponents with smear campaigns. If Sarah Palin was as bad as you say, she would not have been re-elected mayor nor would she have been elected Governor. There are other Alaskans who say the opposite of what you do about her, but they don’t have the backing you have to spread your dirt.

This is the equivalent of my writing an ANONYMOUS letter stating I’ve known Obama since he was seventeen when he did blow off my kitchen table and you people would have to give my work the same level of respect right?

Unfortunately this kind of garbage will probably be on CNN tomorrow not that they will have substantiated anything they’ll just say we are starting to see “reports”

OK, I got it : you knew Sarah!!
Now tell us who knows you?
all this crap could work before her speech now we saw her and we can judge her for ourselves. so you are way too late .
Are you going to deny that her approval rating as a governor is about 80%?
If not, then everything else is irrelevant because about 80% of Alaskans think of her good, and it is enough . Are you one of those 20% who is not pleased with her? So be it ! it is a free country . But no one can please everybody and no one should try ….unless it is The One …Obama

Palin hasn’t ordered Alaska National Guard to do anything
By GEORGE BRYSON
McClatchy Newspapers

When presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain introduced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate last Friday, the Arizona senator emphasized her role as the commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard.

Later, when questions were raised about Palin’s lack of experience in national and international affairs, the McCain campaign pointed again to her military command experience as governor. Some reporters have tried to follow up.

“Can you tell me one decision that she made as commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard?” CNN journalist Campbell Brown asked Monday while interviewing McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds. “Just one?”

Bounds couldn’t, because Palin has never personally ordered the state guard to do anything.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attended five colleges in six years before graduating from the University of Idaho in 1987.

Federal privacy laws prohibit the schools from disclosing her grades, and none of the schools contacted by The Associated Press could say why she transferred. There was no indication any of them were contacted as part of the background investigation of Palin by presidential candidate John McCain’s campaign.

“Our office was not contacted by anyone,” said Tania Thompson, spokeswoman for the University of Idaho in Moscow.

She began college at Hawaii Pacific University, a private, nonsectarian school in Honolulu. She attended only as a freshman during the fall of 1982, school spokeswoman Crystale Lopez said.

Then known as Sarah Louise Heath, she was in the business administration program as a full-time student, Lopez said.

“We’re trying to track down someone who knew her,” Lopez added.

From Hawaii Pacific, Palin transferred to North Idaho College, a two-year school in Coeur d’Alene, about 30 miles east of Spokane. She attended the college as a general studies major for two semesters, in spring 1983 and fall 1983, spokeswoman Stacy Hudson said.

“We were not able to track down club affiliations or anything,” Hudson said.

The school identified one of her professors but he did not remember her, Hudson said.
From North Idaho College, Palin transferred 70 miles south to the University of Idaho, the state’s flagship institution. She majored in journalism with an emphasis in broadcast news. She attended Idaho, whose mascot is the Vandals, from fall 1984 to spring 1985.

She then returned to Alaska to attend Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer in fall 1985.

Then she returned to Idaho, for spring 1986, fall 1986 and spring 1987, when she graduated. Despite her journalism degree, she does not appear to have worked for the college newspaper or campus television station, school officials said. She worked briefly as a sportscaster for KTUU in Anchorage after she graduated college.

The McCain campaign did not have an immediate comment on Palin’s higher education record.

I’m having the feeling that Palin ticked this person off a bit….. but seriously, think about it. We all have people who , given half a chance, would say anything that could possibly hurt us. Someone doesn’t get an 80% approval rating out of nowhere. My thought is that this is just a letter from a person who felt like grumping

“As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.”

The citizens of the state of Alaska own the oil rights. She wants to give the revenue to the citizens? I’m not seeing the downside to that. ELsewhere the author says she increased taxes on poor people, but those folks surely benefit from the oil revenue sharing.

Creationism: said once in a debate she supports the teaching of it but not to the exclusion of real science. Handily, she has done nothing as Governor to endorse it. So that takes the sting out of that (for me) negative. I feel better about it than I did.

And she vetoed a bill to deny gay right benefits to cohabiting couples. Sure, few Republicans will stand for gay marriage but she’s clearly no paleo. Another positive.

NRA membership: a big positive, but not a shocker to Western Republicans.

The internet does much to promote democracy, as for truth that remains to be seen. While my intuition tells me that Sarah Palin has the capacity to be rather nefarious, I will reserve judgement until the ladies and gentlemen of the fourth estate have conducted the proper inquiries.

Could you imagine what she’d try to do to the school system, internet, public libraries, etc. as vice president? Could you imagine not letting kids read things like “Harry Potter”, “Goosebumps” or letting adults not read the latest vampire novel, crime thriller, or perhaps even Shakespeare? Whatever she doesn’t like, she might just try and censor. She’s done it before.

2. She taxed food amongst other things and ran up the debt of her small city by millions.

Don’t we have enough taxes? Aren’t we in enough debt? As a nation, don’t we have enough financial problems? Seriously.

3. She doesn’t practice what she preaches.

She only supports abstinence. She wants to remove teaching kids about birth control and sex ed in general from schools. I think kids NEED to know what herpes are. They need to know what condoms are. With over 60% of kids who sign abstinence pledges breaking them within two years (many having unprotected anal sex because “non-missionary sex” doesn’t count right?), these kids need to know how to be safe. Yes, abstinence needs to be stressed, but if the kids aren’t going to listen they need to know how to protect themselves if they decide to have sex.

As a parent of a 13 year old who homeschools, I have tried to teach him that abstinence is important. I expect him to abstain. I feel he isn’t ready to have sex and he knows that both his mother and I feel that way. We’ve also tried to stress how if he were to go against what we said that things can happen. He can get a girl pregnant. Condoms don’t always work. He can get an STD. If he still wants to take that risk then he knows that he can’t always believe a girl is on birth control, just because she says she is. Condoms are more effective than nothing. We do hope he makes the right choices. We’ve tried to teach him well, but in the end it is his decision. As of now I’m 100% confident he is still listening and he has flat out said he doesn’t want to have sex until he is in a committed relationship. All I can hope is I taught him enough to keep him safe. I think having open communication lines has helped.

I don’t need Sarah Palin preaching about how my way of teaching my son is bad, especially when abstinence didn’t work in her own household. Her kids obviously need more supervision. My son has plenty and he isn’t out doing any of the things Bristol Palin is out doing. Luckily, he’s still excited for Saturday morning cartoons.

Wow. This is a very detailed and well-written letter, and I applaud you, Anne, for coming forward with them. I had Sarah Palin pegged as a fraud from that start as well. When I looked at her, I saw snarky, sneaky, and smug. When she delivered her speech at the Republican National Convention, it was filled with so many lies and convenient omission of the facts that it made me cringe.

Anne is not bringing up things that are obscure. I can’t check most of the stuff Anne has said, but some of it I have checked, such as Palin’s support of the “bridge to nowhere” until she withdrew it because it was deemed a bad decision. Also, how she signed up for earmarks for that bridge and then never gave it back. That natural gas pipeline she prides herself in getting built? It’s good, yeah, but only on paper. It’s been delayed for years and years, and it’s been sold to a company called TransCanada. There are so many things that Anne brought up that I have heard of from a different source, so my guess is, with so many people coming forward with the same issue about this woman, that what Anne is saying is the truth.

I believe she garnered the nickname “Barracuda” for a reason. She is relentless, vindictive and scheming. Definitely not the type of person I would want in the White House.

As a South African I can see that the Democratic Party and it’s voters are very afraid of this coming election. They snuffed Hillary because she’s a woman and now the other woman on the Republican side will automatically be their target.

Sarah Palin’s saying that sending of U.S. troops to Iraq is God’s will can be liken to Yigal Amir saying that God commanded him to kill Yitzhak Rabin(Israel’s former Prime Minister and Defense Minister). She’s also got the same thinking as Muslim extremists who kill in the name of God. She’s scary.

Its amazing to read all the comments and to realize that the majority of all those people just cobble up what they see and hear on television. , after watching de Rep, convention and listening to McCAIN and Palin,s speeches , wich I thought were empty of anything constructive, but full of bringing on fear and demeaning comments about their opponents. I have yet to hear such talk from the Democrats, but I hope they will answer by winning this election and prove to the world that the American people are not so egotistical as the Republicans make out to be

John Howard was a conservative, and was a very good, gutsy Prime Minister who overstayed his welcome, became too powerful, surrounded by “spin” and completely lost touch with the real world. He denied the climate change debate until the last couple of months before the election, when suddenly he pretended to be a true believer.

Sound familiar?

Regardless of your political views, I believe in changing governments at regular intervals. Not just changing leaders, but changing governments (ie parties). It keeps them on their toes, keeps them working hard, and stops them getting to set in their ways and taking the electorate for granted.

Americans, it is time for you to also experience change. I don’t mean “Washington-change”, I mean a change in policies. Lets see what the other side has to offer. If they’re good, give them a 2nd term. If they’re not, turf them out as quickly as you installed them!

Oh, and DON’T fall for the “token woman” ticket. The “we didn’t like Hillary because she’s a Democrat BUT all you pissed-off Hillary supporters can vote for McCain cos he put a woman on the ballot”. How dumb & empty-headed do they think women are? That’s a bigger insult than all the sexist reporting claims put together!

Nor should you fall for the “they’re all picking on me” claims. Palin supporters RIGHTLY claim that “a man doesn’t get asked if he can be a father and a Vice President”. HOWEVER a man doesn’t claim that he has “Executive Experience” because he is a father (she claims that being a mother is a positive bonus – that’s great, but so is being a father). Memo to Sarah Palin – you can’t have it both ways!

Vote wisely Americans. Whatever you decide, remember WE HAVE TO SHARE THE WORLD, AND THIS PLANET. Don’t subject us to another IDIOT in the most powerful office in the world!

Peter H. is absolutely right in the last sentence above: Vote McCain and Palin, the only winning team capable of pumping the air a newly powerful America needs in its tyres: as long as they are flat pushing the gas pedal is useless and wasteful. If you consider yourselves idiots go ahead and vote Obama; Thank G-d you are the minority!

I’m really not into politics. I’m forced to vote for McCain because pro-life is very important to me and I think Obama’s position on everything is pretty leaky. But, one thing I do know…trusting a gossipy busybody about our nation’s potential leadership is not very wise.

I believe Anne was giving a factual accounting, and it needed to be put out onto the air waves, and I congratulate her for having the courage.

It is sad to me that McCain is now pitching the Obama message for “change”, and he is hoping he can keep his mouthy running mate under control with that. He has chosen a wild card in Palin, and he might have done his homework beforehand. He admits he only had one phone conversation and one personal meeting with Palin before he put her on the ticket. He thinks because he pulled a token woman into the campaign that he will win the election. She is almost as scary as the last token woman, Condy Rice. There are probably hundreds of experienced, worthy and educated women who would represent this Nation better than Palin, who appears to be a pistol packing beauty queen with a big mouth and a mean spirit. We had better hope and pray that Obama wins this campaign. Otherwise, it will be a very scary experience for the entire world.

As a single mother who braved the glass ceiling myself, I am usually quite hopeful when a woman is elected to leadership. But it doesn’t take much to realize that the old rich boys of the GOP are once again trying to manipulate the masses into thinking anything has changed in the last 100 years. The whole thing is disgusting and gut-wrenching to me. I had high hopes that my own children would live to see a better world – not one coasting and sliding back into cave man thinking. Whoever first said “what is this world coming to?” probably had a vision of the McCain/Palin ticket.

Sounds like someone could make fortune off of bumper stickers that read, “I was fired by Sarah Palin.” Republican or Democrat, we can all feel it. We have all known a Sarah Palin in our lives. I personally would not want my “Sarah Palin” to be President of the United States. That would be scary!

This woman is no more qualified than the moon in the moon to be VP, especially when her running mate is a heartbeat away from the great beyond. She is a proven liar. Too bad the “Maverick” could only come up with this particular woman to get the disgruntled Hillary voters behind him. And quite frankly, being a member of PETA, seeing her with all her killed moose and other animals around her makes me want to puke. This woman who is so pro-life, can sit and shoot animals from a plane? Please. She is a horror.

I don’t buy all of what Anne says. I have people in my small home town that don’t think too highly of me either. I see them at a reunion, in the local pup, at church and I’m completely ignored. What have I done? Nada! I have a successful marriage, a “few” bucks and real nice house. Jealousy…. call me conceded…. I don’t care……..Maybe Sarah really is a baracuda….so what…. if she were a man and done what Anne has written, we wouldn’t be responding to a blog like this. I like Sarah even with her flaws – I have them and so do you.

Stunned and unimpressed that this is an entire page full of self fellating ultra-lefties. The deeper you get into these comments, the more obvious it is that most of the people here are only posting any comments to try to help justify their decision in voting pro-party for someone they’re not sure about. It’s not, “See, let us help the world make an informed decision, because we know the Republicans are wrong”, it’s, “I’m glad you told me about her experience, because I may have otherwise voted Republican.” It truly amazes me that someone would go through all the effort of “exposing” someones history, while completely ignoring the fact that their own party nominee has no experience, just a history of holding office titles long enough to get the next one. And if I hear “heartbeat away from the president” one more time I will puke. You people run on pseudo-patriotism and catch-phrases. Stop bleating quotes you hardly understand or think sound cool, and stop being sheep led blindly into the mouths of wolves. THINK INDEPENDENTLY! Clearly this piece is written out of bias, and is slanted to fit the authors perceptions. She even pulls the classic “Victim” move at the end to garner sympathy. …Just a housewife… has hated me since 1996… everybody else was afraid… Anne makes it seem as though Mrs. Palin had physically beaten her!

I shouldn’t even be posting here. The sheer idiocy i have read in the previous comments is enough to give me a Stupid stroke. Seriously, THINK FOR YOURSELVES! STOP TAKING EVERY WORD THAT YOU THINK YOU AGREE WITH AS GOSPEL! FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS OF WHAT’S RIGHT AND WHAT’S WRONG! WAKE UP! I’m not going to point-for-point the article or the comments, because that would be the pablum you so desperately crave, unable to put hand to mouth for yourselves. That would be more of the same that’s already been posted.

Sounds if though there is a lot of bitterness in your post. I don’t know of a person or politician who has not made friends because of their ideas and positions. Our conservative Governor here in SC has a constant battle with his own party on spending and policy, yet he is well respected. Her 80% approval rating in her state tells me that she is doing a lot of things right. Government should stay out of our lives and both parties need to realize that. The democrats want to control and socialize the country and the republicans aren’t much better. When you have true change, you are going to step on a lot of feet and it sounds like she stepped on yours.

I live in Seattle and work with a 20 year old girl from Wasilla who also knows the Palin family. Everything she told me is echoed in this letter. Sarah is a scary woman and I am afraid that she is about to dupe the American public… which proves time and again of its ready naiveté. Her speech at the convention showcased her mediocre intelligence and willingness to stoop to the lowest levels of persuasion.

Like they say, another smear letter. It is so sad that we have the political arena we have. Hopefully, McCain/Palin can change some of this. I agree a woman should have the same opportunities to have a family and a career, men have been doing this for centuries. What about Joe Biden being a single father? Lipstick and high heels were the only two differences plus the fact that Mrs. Palin has a husband and supportive family. It looks to me like they are what a family should be, supportive and in it together!!! She is such a refreshing change! Democrats wanted change, well here it is! They need to stop whining and get real. The American People need a leader not a flip flopper who I feel will be a puppet instead of a leader. They have said over and over not to play the race card, they are playing the gender card and the media in their true ignorant fashion are assisting.

Hopefully all the facts that are pertinent will come out truthfully for both sides. Using a pregnant teenage girl as a pawn and to even suggest it is the parents fault when a large majority of the American Families have had to face this issue for eons. Yes, Palin has said she believes in abstinende, that is “her” belief. Accidents happen!

I understand that the personal views expressed by Kilkenny should be taken with a grain of salt; she TELLS YOU THAT HERSELF. There’s no lack of disclosure on her behalf that animosity exists between her and Palin.

But to all those here who still insist that this is a hoax, or that she just doesnt exist, its time to pull your head out of the ground.

Shes a real person. And even if you dont like her personal assessments of Ms. Palin, she does recite numerous, objective, verifiable FACTS, the most damning of which is that she took over a town with no debt and left it with $22m in debt. Is this not true? Will someone debunk it?

Please stop merely saying “oh this is a hoax” or “boy what a busybody.”

Geez, she brought big box stores to a small town and bought a park and a sports complex for a town that has nearly doubled its population in 4 years. She’s made some mistakes. She lowered taxes on business but raised sales taxes to pay for it. I don’t see how anything I’ve read here is bad. (Her early record is actually pretty good. There is a learning curve, isn’t there?)

More disturbingly, the letter is written to undermine her appeal to a cartoon of what an ultra conservative would think. (This is reason for suspicion as to the claimed author’s true motives, especially since the old “letter from someone I know” is the oldest lamer tactic in the chain email world.)

As for all the people who are “afraid” to speak out, give me a F’n break. The enemies (coming from the entrenched corrupt interests she routed, like that lame head of the GOP party) seem incapable of shutting up. The only people who should be afraid of Sarah are the “Feminists” who only care about the right to kill babies, Biden, and Obambi. It’s her success that they fear most.

wow….the funny thing about it is that all I saw was reason number four.

“Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s
attempt at censorship.”

It probably would have been smart to not even mention this because now your whole letter seems like a personal attack on someone you don’t like for personal reasons. Second, the fact that people keep mentioning how the would “never vote for a party that…” says that they are voting based on a party rather than the person running for office. People try to bash Sarah for not having experience. To those Obama supporters that want to argue this point, I would point out that Obama has no real experience himself. At least McCain has experience in politics and foreign affairs.

Let’s also take a look at the fact that Obama is in no way a “patriot”. How much military experience does he have? Oh, that’s right, none. Whereas McCain has been behind enemy lines and been a P.O.W. Yes, McCain is old. But I fear that the people who are supporting Obama are supporting him because he is charismatic and speaks well, not because he is the best choice for the office.

Anyhow, I don’t even like talking about politics but I feel it is necessary to address certain things about this election. One more thing and I will shut up. Anyone who is pro-homosexual marriage and pro-murder(abortion) should never be elected into office. The fact remains, if you kill a woman who is pregnant you will be charged with double-homicide. However, if a woman chooses to murder her baby, we call it a choice. Explain that…

A lot of people commenting against the author cite Palin’s 80% approval rating as governor as evidence that the letter is off the mark, or just liberal garbage. Obviously they didn’t read the letter. It explains pretty clearly how Palin was able to disguise her failures and/or nasty deeds as “mavericky” victories. These are probably the same people who still insist there are WMDs in Iraq and a connection between Saddam and 9/11. Wake up, people.

I agree about the looks Hillary is kind of plain looking and Sarah kind of looks like these Boots are made for walking lol……anyway I still like Sarah more because like every other person in the world….Normal

I agree with Erik. I even read on Politico that Sarah Palin called our war in Iraq a “mission from God.” Really? Cause the last I checked the guy responsible for 9/11 is still out there folks? Sure we got Saddam, but so what?

Hmm, seems a little biased. This is just one slam after another. A truly unbiased letter weighs both side of her–the bad and the good. And for those who might say ‘There is nothing good to say’, I think we have little to say to each other.

I think that this is most likely an attempt by an Obama supporter to discredit Palin, and therefore McCain.

Andrew

~~~~~~~Living proof that not all teens are idiots.
~~~~~~~I think therefore I support McCain

There’s a blog about a man from the future who came back to 2008 to save humanity… Would you believe everything this man wrote on his blog? Prolly not. What if this lady is on Palin’s supposed “enemies” list and is just upset? Or maybe Palin restructured the city government because with new faces come new ideas, whether or not she would’ve listened. How many people are in D.C. right now that could understand half the complexities of the technology we have now. I majority of them prolly cant text message. I see what she was trying to do, out with the old in with the new and maybe it backfired. But don’t go believing everything everything you hear. She’s a great speaker, just like Obama. But what i have found is that they ALL just tell you what you want to hear. I personally have a hard time beleiving anything the Media puts out there anymore and I feel that this rant letter may be one of those items that is taken out of context. I wonder if anyone will read this far into this comment….? Man I despise politics.

I’ve seen these types before. Usually they are the ones show up at city council meetings and bitch about stuff. No matter what you do, it’s wrong. Probably ran for the council but couldn’t rustle up enough signatures to even get on the ballot. Missing at least 4 teeth.

It is quite sad the far fetching stories that people drudge up or create in order to try to get others to believe what they do. Facts are Palin is a fantastic candidate… as are the others and this will be a great, historic election.

You can google any one of the what she has written and it is most certainly true.
In a small town there is no need to sign your name, they will know who she is. My mother came from a small town and I remember listening to family and friends. Not only did they know who someone was they also knew who their “people” are.
My father-in-law was from small town in Tenn. There were 10 churches for 5000 residents. He would say they would carry thier bibles to church, pray, and hear a sermon. After the services they would gather in small groups and commence gossip about people in another group. That is small town kife and I am happy to live in a city!!
You can also google her pastor and hear his sermons. Educate yourselves.’It is not the woman’s OPINION but FACTS that can be verifed . Go on, elect them to office and see who the LIARS are!!

It is clear that there is little to be found against Sarah Palin so the leftist are now talking out of both sides of there mouth. Criticizing her for the very things they have heralded in the past. Frankly her record stands on its own. She does care about the environment as well as preserving the pristine beauty of Alaska. Who knows better than she the true state of the wildlife. Afterall it is in her backyard. Too much negative hype, about nothing, coming from the other side. Fear? Panic? Jealousy? She IS amazing! The person who wrote this letter does not know the inside and true story, as do those who have actually worked closely with Ms. Palin. How about a letter from her former aide, who happens to know the truth of the matter…..

I wonder if the left would have the same opinion about Sarah Palin if she were a Democrat. I would guess not. If she were a Dem. she’d likely be walking on water by now, right along with their Messiah.

How would they feel if these attacks were being fired at Hillary, or better yet the Messiah’s wife?

I have read and read the many comments, and find that human nature is amazingly either defensive, agreeable, nasty and mean spirited or neophytes to life experiences and politics.
A democratic friend sent me this letter and several others to back up defense to her choice for President and Vice President of our country.
Does this supposed letter convince me one way or the other? Of course not! Time will tell and we have time to make intelligent choices as evidence is revealed.
I don’t believe anything I read on the internet and precious little I see.
I do not send political fodder to my friends. I have sent an email requesting they honor my policy in return.
Some are just hard-headed.
Rise above all the ill verbiage and the truth will present itself in due course.
The biggest problem as I see it is that few of the many make logical choices based on non-emotional facts.
That is why we are called, HUMAN. We naturally make mistakes.
I am grateful to be born an American so that I can write or say what I may.

And of course, all you say is true! There are more than two sides to the story. I wonder if you voted for her, either for mayor of the town or for the governorship! I am sure there are other people that “see” Sarah in a different light. Most people that have already made up their mind against her will “believe” everything you say and to most people that have already made up their mind in her support, oh well what can I tell you. I would like to know your motivation though!

I believe this is TRUE! The Republicans wanted someone they can Control, McCann and Palin. Why do you think McCann gave in to the extreme Right, they (Bush, Channey, Roe) will still govern this nation by way of McCann. Who writes the speeches for McCann and Palin, Bush/Channey staff. America is headed for deeper problems if they get a 3rd term to finish off getting profits on war, oil companys, big business. Why would this woman put herself out there, they will certainly come after her and her family, especially in a small town. Palin SHOULD have an 80% approval rating, especially if she has the power to have you fired from your job. Would you say anyting bad about your boss or disagree with him/her – if it cost you your job – NO! If you believe this lady (Anne), is doing it for money, you must be crazy or you just don’t want to hear the truth because you MUST vote Republican, (puppet). With the power S. Palin will have, you won’t be able to hide from her, not in this country or any other. Who would put themselves in that type of position. I believe this lady cannot keep what she’s know from the American public inspite of what may come her way (family). Most people would not do what she has done – fear of facing the powers take are in control. My prayers are with her and her family. Just ask one question – why don’t the Republicans want you to question her, Palin, or challenge her. They keep putting up smoke screens and some America’s would rather choke on the smoke than to know the truth about their next President – S. Palin. Americans VOTED for Obama to run, however, you – America will not get a choice (to VOTE) on having S. Palin in office. It has been decided for you! So who do you really think will be running the country? hmmmm, something to think about!

Sounds very biased to me. This woman has an 80% approval rating in Alaska. I think that someone, “Anne”, cough, is jelous of Sarah Palin and is trying to do anything she can to stop her from getting into office. You sound like a jelous, bored housewife. What is the word I’m looking for her Anne? Hater! Go Palin!

No matter what… Obama, Biden, liberal media, people who are very tired of the Republican bum rush… please do not back down! Forget what Sarah Palin looks like, fight on the issues.

Vote for an end to the foreclosure crisis
…an end to the Iraq war
…an end to rich people bailing out other rich people
…an end to firing people because they don’t agree with you
…an end to interference with working institutions just because you are president
…an end to political gaffes all over the end
…an end to the madness of the part seven and a half years.

A few months ago I received a really a really disgusting forward about Obama.
It really irritated me. It took me about 4 hours on the internet to come up with the facts to refute all the charges that were made against him. This was sent to all my “friends”. Did this stop all the garbage forwards? No. I did this in spite of the fact that I could never vote for him because I totally disagree with too many of his ideas and how he stands on the issues that are important to me. I’m sick of the whole thing.

Too much time is spent by too many people forwarding all kinds of garbage. I fear for our country when too many people make their choices from the contents of forwards.
Heaven forbid that you should do some checking for yourself, just rely on forwards.

But here I see so many of you planning to forward this to all your friends. There are always 2 sides to every STORY. Until I have heard the other side of the story and the facts are totally known, this sounds like all the Obama forwards that I get from well meaning friends and relatives.

One of my Mothers favorite sayings was: Believe nothing that you hear and only half that you see. Good advice.

A fascinating letter from a very brave woman. I can understand that she wouldn’t want her full name out there — the far right “Palinoids” in Alaska might well arrange a “hunting accident.”

By the way, I had another friend forward me a letter , but unfortunately this one was about Obama. This letter was incredibly detailed, and was written by somebody named Phil who has lived in Chicago since birth and has known Obama for years, but who is afraid to have his full name out there — the far left “Obamanuts” in Chicago might well arrange for him to “walk in front of a bus.

To summarize, the letter details how Obama met in William Ayres’s apartment to plot blowing up buildings, and that Obama used to fill in for Rev. Wright at church to explain how much he hated America. Now none of this bothered me — after all, it’s nothing new.

The really frightening part was when Phil, who has known Obama for a long time, explained how Barack Hussain Obama and Saddam Hussain are cousins and that shortly before Bush invaded, Saddam hid all his weapons of mass destruction in Barack’s back yard, and that if he’s not elected, Barack is going to use the WMD to destroy both Disneyland and Disneyworld in retaliation.

I have received this email from people all over the country in the past couple days. I have checked several times on Snopes for its reliability, but there’s nothing there so far. I will keep checking. It sure sounds believable to me, but then I’m a fan of the other party.

Well “speaking out” I am glad that you admit to the “liberal media”. I don’t see much else that I agree with (Democrats and Republicans voted to go to war — everyone but 2 if I remember correctly). I also don’t see how the foreclosure is any particular party’s fault.

This author (Ann) clearly has a not-so-hidden agenda. And we will continue to hear stories like this surface from people that — and they won’t produce much proof, except to say a “he said she said”.

As for me, I am going to vote based on what they do and stand for, NOT based on what someone else thinks about them.

Sarah Palin is cute for a politician the same way a saltine is good to a starving man. She isn’t cute enough to sell 200 and some odd years of freedom down the river. Palin is nasty on the inside where it really matters.

How can I send this to folks?
Do you have a “send to a friend” thing that I missed.
I used to use links but this crazy Dell Computer with Windows XP now only sends me to the MSN page when I attempt to link anything.

Wow, this person must be keeping a journal on Sarah for 16 years hoping that someday she (or he) can post the entries in the Washington post. Hah! I know bull when I read one and certainly this is one of them.

Obama camp must be sooo desperate to use this kind of tactic.

This is very well and politically laid. Yeah right, nice try there Obama.

Anne’s “expose” of Palin was a great hit piece, but that’s all. It’s the sort of thing I’ve come to expect from the left. They’ll never change.

If the Repubs are really as scheming and rotten as the left would have everyone believe, they’re certainly not so stupid as to choose someone who couldn’t stand up to the anal exam the MSM always conducts on the left’s enemies. If any part of the so-called expose of Palin was substantively true, we’d have heard about it already from the MSM. The Repubs would never risk this predictable media hatchet job.

Only those parts of issues surrounding Palin which could be construed as nefarious are mentioned, without the mitigating details that render the whole story innocuous – those are left out.

Hasn’t this woman ever heard of “Birth Control”. Oh I forgot, she a Bible Thumping Religious Fanatic who doesn’t believe in the pill. At 43 years of age, it’s irresponsible not to be on some form of birth control from either side. Anybody with half a brain knows that a chromosomal abnormality is very common past 40. Again, Religious Wackos.

1. Voters need to take the time to understand the big issues; e.g., economy, energy, security, health care and strong ties with strategic world players who are not practicing isolationism which leans toward common objectives
2. We need to vote on the issues, not personalities – it’s going to be at least a four year marriage and someone may be attractive, but we better be on the same philosophical page to make it work
3. Ignore everything else including the media – think for yourself about the long term objectives as well as your short term needs – what’s your vision for America? – who matches that best?

From this I believe we can make a decision based on the proper mix of logic and heart.

I trust the wisdom of the collective voters to get it right if this is done.

I do not believe nor trust the source of the letter you found. After Democratic tactics for over 50 years in politics nothing here comes from a resident of Alaska. This was written by an insider of the Obama campaign using someones name in Alaska. Sorry, but over 50 years of liberals lies why should e believe one more bogus blog letter copies from a news paper out of Washington….it is laughable at the attacks on this lady. Everyone pretty much knew this is what would be lifted out of the trash cans of America’s liberal livingrooms, but come on.

Rememeber that town of 5000 mentioned in the letter is reduced by a third that are children and another third un-registered or not voting. She was elected mayor by less than 2000 votes. I beleive the Repugnicans have searched far and wide to find someone that is easy to look at and female so they can continue their campaign of stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. This is anothe attempt to get the dumb-vote. The single-issue vote, and the tv-vote.

Yes, maybe Sarah Palin is not the best and most experienced candidate for vice president ever, BUT it is obvious that Obama is no better and has little experience himself. For me this election comes down to picking the best candidate out of what I am given, and I am sorry but it is obvious who has the better ticket. Sure, Obama is promising lots of things and is a great speaker….but what are his plans? No one really knows because he changes his views every time he turns around, if he even makes a decision besides “present”. Hopefully solving all of our countries issues are “in his pay grade”.

What ‘executive experience’ does Obama have? Not bothering to vote or voting no when it would help the residents of the US? How did Palin’s pre-labor experience affect YOU personally? Did it? Why did it? Should it have? Duh…why is her BODY your business? Same goes for her daughter; what business is it of the American People, Dems or Repubs, what happens in their personal lives? Aren’t they allowed to have personal lives? OMG, NO, they’re going to be in the public eye, so everything they do, from eating breakfast to wiping their behinds is MY business! What a load of crap. No pun intended.

Obama has NO experience. He has been groomed for this election for years. Do you people know what goes on during a partial birth abortion? Do you understand what would happen to healthcare in this country if we went to socialized medicine? Would you prefer to get all of our agricultural products from other countries and have all of our farmers go bankrupt? Sure, he’s such a motivational speaker…but then he isn’t writing his own speeches either. “Oh, he’s so handsome, and his wife is so purty, and he wants HOPE and CHANGE!!!!” Whatever. You can spew hope and change until the cows come home, unless you didn’t bother to vote for farm subsidies and there are NO MORE COWS!!!!

I will not believe anything that soeone writes when they will not put their name to it. This sounds like someone who has a grudge to grind. November will tell how people feel about Sarah Palin. Let’s wait and see when all the debates are over.

I would think that any proprosal for ‘improvements’ in Wasilla would have been voted on by the townspeople before being approved and implemented. At least that’s the way it works in MY town. I don’t believe Palin “drove” her town anywhere, at least not without the assistance of the townspeople themselves. If they didn’t want it, they should have voted against it.

I would like to know how the writer of this letter can validate the fact that the infant, Trig, is Sarah Palin’s child. If her own family was not aware that she was pregnant, how does she know? Why was Bristol out of school for 5 months? Why does Bristol look like a mother nursing and Sarah does not? When I saw Bristol on TV she looked like a currently nursing mother. Sarah does not look like a mother who recently gave birth, and Bristol does. How does the writer explain that. I belive the writer is a Republican spin maker who is trying to do what the Republicans always do, divert attention to another matter.

Seems as how the Republican campaign brains went a’huntin’ for a conservative and overshot the mark and brung back a fundamentalist. No matter. They jus’ put lipstick on that pig and ol’ quick-decision McCain bought it hook line and stinker. When the info in this letter hits the fan, y’all better duck!

Uh, excuse me – I just checked Snopes. All they say is that they checked on authorship and the contention that it was written by Anne K., a resident of Alaska….is true. That’s all they say. Snopes NEVER says that the whole of what the author says is true. Perhaps leftists want us to stop at the little label that says “True” and leave it at that. This is typical leftist prevailing on the good reputations of others in order to legitimize their phony claims.

One of the reasons we never hear from them about Obama and Michelle’s association with the “Public Allies” organization, exposed in Investors Business Daily and National Review, is the leftist knowledge that some people search below the surface rather than to accept the surface glaze.

Rest assured, when the leftists tell you the “truth”, (if it is in fact the genuine truth) it’s never enough for a person to be apprised of the whole truth if the whole truth is detrimental to them.

Sice there is an account of Ms. Palin’s pervious behavior documented in the ADN as well as the recording of her giggling like a schoolgirl about someone she disdains (who has cancer & was called a “cancer & a b****) it seems that the tone of the letter rings true. And didn’t it come through during her speech as she relished mocking community organizers & anyone who might hail from something other than a small town. (I am from a small town & now live in NYC so I have experienced both worlds..and love both worlds by the way!) But as I walked to work the day after her speech & looked around at all the diverse faces I knew there was no way this woman could potentially represent this country in a respectable manner. How sad. She just makes it harder for women with this attitude. She pats herself on the back when she ran against the “old boys network” but she just wants to be one of them. We all know women like this..they do not like other women. By trying to be one of the boys she does nothing to enlist chnage in the workplace for other women. John McCain wantys to be president so badly he will do anything to pander to the evangelicals(again I know of what I speak) America so desperately needs to be seen again as global leader and a team player. (think China & India breathing down our necks….financially,manufacturing etc.) Had John McCain’s team done even a scintilla of vetting, then the “despised” (read republicans fake outrage) over the media would not be doing their job for them or the American public for that matter. There were so many other choices for a VP (women & men) that this pick just has Karl Rove stink all over it! There are always those who are going to turna blind eye to facts but for God’s sake (literally) please make a truly informed & thoughtful choice before we have another 4 years of a vengeful administration!

I read the article and did a little research. Below is a list of the things I find indicative of her character, which is what really matters, right?:

1- She lowered her salary
2- Her City grew (which could reasonably explain the need for additional tax revenue supporting infrastructure)
3- Her popularity was sustained at a high level
4- She cut ALL property taxes, not just ones for “big business” as suggested in the article
5- She sent out $1200 checks to Alaskans when the oil / gas money started rolling in
6- She kept her campaign promises

I did not find one supportable fact in the above article that would lead me to believe that Sarah is not who she says she is. She accomplished all this while still participating in life, raising a family and dealing with the challenges that go along with it. One must then wonder why so many want to cut her down, smear her record by telling half truths and labeling her as heartless. I can tell you, the Democratic machine is terrified as they well should be. They (Obama / Biden) are two predictable candidates running against two people they can’t predict. As people learn more about the four of them, I predict that the mavericks will come out on top.

I do not agree with this person that wrote this letter. What are they getting in return??? This lady is a “LOOKER” being a female I see that McCain saw that in
her and if you watch Cindy she doesn’t look comfortable around them when they are himing and hulling between them selves (Palin and McCain).

This lady did not say anything except debunk the wonderful work that Sen.Obama
did in the community work in his home state. I am among those kind of people.
The representation of deligates tells me alot. My parents being “Christian” and
“SAVED” I lived with this for my life, they hated my Obama/Raced man I lived with for 12 yrs. until he died at age 45 on 1-27-2007. They had just begun to accept him
when he helped them have sale and move into their retirement village,.

Looking at the deligates I noticed that I saw a TOKEN of blacks in the deligates,
they would zoom up on the “FEW” Lets see last RNC convention there were OVER 150 minorities, this time about 36-56 at the most) Boy that is a sample of EQUAL.
All the WHITE faces, and SAD faced people in a convention. I watched every minute
of the Dems., but could not stomach half of the RNC.(I tried Hard too) I talked to Vets. at breakfast today and they are tired of hearing about McCains POW experience. How many of the other POW’s get to share their story with anyone. Most are forgotten and our
soldiers that do not have money to live and keep their families YET McCain has
a disability check coming and look at the job he has and benifits. I had to be penniless to get help, I was an owner of a number of businesses and nothing went
under my Soc.Sec. number so I had to go through the welfare state to get help.
Guess what, I WORKED FOR 21 YEARS trying as a middle class person to get some
money saved so we could even get health care. Every year a bigger burden was
placed on us the little guy, you couldn’t even get loans any more from your local banks because then became part of a bigger bank and we were stuck.

I have a 1988 car, didn’t get stimulus package(a glorified tax rebate) and
I am piling up with bills due to the utilities so high now and they took the help that
was given for yrs. to a small token amount. This Palin chick (This letter writer
calls her a “Babe” we do not want a babe in the VP possition, to play with other men
that are working with her, let her take care of Alaska and her family. My CHRISTIAN
family would never discuss sex, they weren’t told anything so in turn we were not
told anything. :Proves it with that poor girl getting pregnent and now having to marry the guy, probably not in love because lust is NOT LOVE, BUT it is the right thing to do. That is how our families handled that too.

Fly I love your comments, + RN in Texas, It does matter about the sex out of marriage with Palin’s child because My “Christian” parents are swayed by the
B_____S_____that is given to sway them to vote a certain way and the thing
we were taught like {Palin that abstenence is what we were to do BUT THE PARENTS
FAIL TO TELL THEIR CHILD “THAT AROUSED Passion Has no conscience,”you cannot stop it once you get to a point” and this child now has to get married and raise this child. Really a sorry mess. Sex education is needed in
schools and contraseptive because kids especially in “Christian” homes are not taught anything.

Young Voter: you certainly have a lot to learn. If this “Orator” Palin gives a good speech because she had to get voted in in her state, she can stand up anywhere and
talk her way through. She didn’t give us ANY HOPE and the deligates lacking
the sample of our multicultured America only about 36-50 in all in that whole
RNC convention, and the last RNC had at least over 150 minorities. The people
looked like all WHITE to me. That tells me alot. (AND the most unhappy people)You better listen to Sen.Obama more closly and HEAR what he says. Palin Said
NOTHING that will help the economy and it is sad to hear you think that Palin +
McCain would do anything to give you a better life. The longer Bush was in office
Our businesses we owned became too digfficult to keep above water that the stress
led us to a divorce. Could not aford Health Ins. and day to day you prayed you did not get sick. I worked in office and on service calls, laid 8″ blocks and ended
up with nothing in my Soc.Sec. because my X got it all under his number being the spouce. So I had to get SSI through Welfare state and those 21 yrs. we ran our businessess went down the tubes. (So I am not taking any money from any of you working people.)

We need change where the middle class can again own property and not be
costed out of business because of each change made that hurt our small businesses.

Wake up people before Nov.4, 2008, Our whole future depends of who we get
into office and Obama/Biden are a great team that KNOW each other more then
One face to face meeting and One telephone call; before McCAin went choosing Palin for a running mate. McCain did this thinking we women are so STUPID that we will fall for his AGENDA and TAKE THE HEAT OFF OF HIM. I want a live debate with Obama and McCain and NO NOTES for McCain, He would get all flustered like when ask a / about voting on why he passed a bill to have Insurances pay for VIAGRA BUT NOT FOR contrseptives. On You tube. Come on How much brain matter did you mess up that you cannot read between the lines of this lady. I am a women but they are not going to
sway me just on that fact because I am an intelligent women and Palin is a loose
cannon and of childbring age means “Possible preg. and believe me I think of PMS
and that is a real thing as a lady her age faces real soon.”
WAKE UP LADIES AND MEN!!!!!!!
A concerned USA CITIZEN, Nancyl2

I Believe the letter. Wake up people! The Republicans have had 8 years in the White House to rule and have messed everything up! We had a surplus, now we are borrowing from China. And on and on. Hilary I believe did not want to be VP. But she’s still a Democrat. That’s no reason to go to the other side with the Republicans who have shown that they are really not that caring for people. And think that we are so dumb that we will believe anything they say.
Let’s give someone with energy and intelligence and a good temper a chance. And that is Sen. Obama.

Oh Nancy, my comment had nothing to do about any candidates race, I’m not quite sure why that is coming up at all. I’m simply talking about issues. All I’m saying is that Obama is making billion dollar promises without the money to back it with. Where do you think that money will be coming from? Certainly not grown on a tree. I am very educated about the issues thank you, and I suggest you put aside all personal issues with the races and sexes of the candidates and do the same 🙂

CORRECTION ABOVE : Nancyl2: Sorry Anne, I read part of the letter in beginning
and thot I was reading a Pile of B_____S______of stuff that this women did “GOOD”
I felt this lady was pulling something over our eyes and I went back and read every
word and I have to apologise for my haste to jjudgement without reading the whole
letter. Take my word people READ EVERY WORD BEFOE COMMENTING ON
any artical someone writes. Most sights allow editing and this one does not. So
I am doing my best to correct my opening.

I went back and re-read Powerfulmothers and it was very thorough. Thankyou.

By the way Anne Kilkenny + Alaska will get you to the writer of that letter. I know

she has to be telling the truth because when I heard that Palin was trying to fire the

Libraian this is how “Christians” attack things that they do not believe in, putting

their beliefs on everyone else. This sounds like the “Hidden Person” I saw in

Palin that night as she talked about her family. I want to know in Anne’s letter

It said that Palin went regularly to the gym: Now if this lady was 7 months pregnant

before she told her children and family that she was pregnant, WHY WOULDN’T THE

GYM PEOPLE STOP HER FROM USING THEIR EQUIPMENT DURING A

PREGNACY< ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY SAID DURING THE RNC THAT

PALIN KNEW THAT HER CHILD WAS DOWNS SYNDROM AND THEY WERE

NOT ABORTING THE CHILD JUST BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE CHILD

WASN’T NORMAL. SOMEONE {PLEASE EXPLAIN THESE THINGS THE ONES

THAT DEBUNKED THE LETTER LIKE “OBAMA’S” PEOPLE POSTED IT.)

IT scares me to think that people that do not think for themselves or even READ

the name of the person you can pull up on web, calling this information a lie.

Think again, Palin appeared to be all that I read in this letter and more just from

Dear Young voter, thankyou for your comment. I just felt that you feel that
Sen. Obama doesn’t stay on track and have a plan. I listened to him in Lancaster
yesterday and his plans have not changed, towns people ask him questions and
told him that they knew what he planned to do. He covered 5 issues that he has been
covering since he started this contest. Economy is number one and the fuel prices
must be lowered and allow us to “LIVE” . His talking to his (both) parties and
letting them know they have got to work for the people not for just the corps.,
BUT WE must do our part and make NOISE and talk to our reps. This is going
to be a job for we the people standing behind Sen.Obama. Palin said nothing but
ditz Sen.Obama. His community programs that he worked with helped people such
as myself, and this is not “Nothing” like Palin stated in her speech with all her jokes and snid remarks about this great man.

You are intelligent + think for yourself weigh the good and bad of each person
running in this race + search yourself on Palin’s history. McCain is trying to grab
the women’s vote like HE can control our VOTE. He thinks women are stupid,
he left his beauty queen wife when she became a cripple. What does that say for
him??Not much. What if Cindy got all crippled, bet he would stay with her. Ha!
No way.

My mother believes like the “Christian’s”, that women should not be in government
she says it is a man’s job women should be in the HOME. WOW!!Old belief but
look at the older women at the convention, they all have those sad, hanging mouth
faces like most “Christians” do. Sad but true.

If we can send a man to the moon we can certainly come up with other alternatives
and Obama plans on listening to our needs and going to the parties and working
solutions that they can both live with. These earmarked fed.monies have got to
stop and this is an area each election politicians say will not be done because
of the POWER, Of course if the “FEW” that have their money in everything and
they threaten to PULL OUT THEIR MONEY, what can the Prez do????
Politics are “greedy business” unless we all “GET STILL” and bring this matter
to our HIGHER POWER “GOD” and let Him work on them so our Prez can do
what he wants to do to help us. Maybe he will have to get them to stop trying to control everything, a Market Driven Economy, means CONTROL WITH THOSE
that have the Mega bucks. So we have to vote wisely then stand behind our Prez and
any more suggestions, young voter, speak forth.

“…Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks …“

I never knew that Hillary has a good look (neither did any of my friends) – that’s definitely new!
Must be in the eyes of beholder…

“…forward this to your friends/email contacts … but please do not post it on any websites, as there are too many kooks out there …”

Since the original letter was posted on a website (with clear intention for a wide distribution) that looks like Russell’s paradox applied to politics. Very new!
… And truly revealing (not just about Sarah, but about the author of the article).

The emphasized “CLAIM VS FACT” section has more then dozen items.
Each one of them is either a put-down “revelation”, or mere re-statement of a well-known fact (like NRA supporter – absolutely; gutsy – absolutely). Not a single “positive” revelation.
Actually this part is NOT new – from the stand-point of Partisan-politics.
I could be wrong here, so please correct me if you had no contacts with Democratic (or Republican) party activists.

But it still probably new for majority of 670,000 Alaskans – otherwise how could she get the highest approval rating in the history of the state?
And it better be new for 5,000 residents of Wasilla (who keep re-electing her).
Did you say “…Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis…”?
Sounds like YOU know her better then anyone else.

Thanks for the info Anne. Obama just needs to adopt Bill Clinton’s campaign strategy with a slight twist……. KISSES = Keep It Simple Stupid ECONOMY SUCKS!!!!!!! We are having the largest transfer of wealth alright. From the middle class to the upper class. Trickle down economics still goes on. Except now investments by the rich are in a world wide economy and the trickle is world wide. Why do you think the Rep could care a less about illegal aliens. They are just more cheap labor. Seeing Iran moving to NGV vehicles ought to scare the crap out of us! Why would they be doing this?

From my many years of working with the education of facial and body languages. Mrs. Palins facial patterns indicate, a person who is intolerant, dictatorial,and vindictive. When you observe her mouth after a particular sarcastic statement. Her lips clench in a strained manner. Her lips and chin slightly jut out and her face is a mix of a mona lisa like smile and a scowl. This facial pattern is common with individuals who have historically been dictators and despots. Facial patterns are very telling, and if one does a search on google for faces of dictators, such as Hitler or Mussolini .This facial pattern, appears again and again, especially when speaking before large crowds.

All of us have associated with individuals whom we feel are cruel and uncaring. We tend to use phrases such as, they are smug or cold, or any number of unpleasant expressions. However, remember how you felt, when you looked at their face. They disconnected from you and elevated themselves to a level of superiority over you, From their mindset, you are fortunate to be allowed in their presence. Most individuals who have this facial pattern end up in positions of power, such as law enforcement or political positions. People who exhibit this pattern can become extremely dangerous when given or put in a position of power.
After reading this very informative letter, and observing Mrs. Palin’s facial patterns during her speeches, triggered my fear reflex, to fight or flight.

Barracudas are especially vicious fish, sometimes called the pitbulls of the sea. Think of how you would feel, if your nick name was “The Pitbull” How loving and compassionate do you think your family and associates would see you? Putting an individual a heartbeat away from the presidency exhibiting the same dictatorial and intolerant patterns, could possibly bring this nation to its final years of democracy. History repeats its self again and again. If one desires to be part of a new Rome then keep electing leaders like we have, or consider leaders who appear to be connected to you and not superior to you.

Ive been saying all along to put side Ms. Kilkenny’s personal assessments of Ms. Palin. Yes, she may not be objective. Certainly, her views should be taken with a grain fo salt.
Instead, lets look at Palin’s performance in positions she’s held – for example, while Mayor of Wasilla. She has said, after all, that being Mayor of Wasilla wasnt “rocket science.”

Well, despite that caveat, she’s still apparenty screwed it up. Her biggest achievement in office was the ice rink she helped build. Well, check out the attached. And it is not from some dubious “liberal” website. Its from the Wall Street Journal, which is about as solidly a Republican publication one can find:

Moreover, nobody here has refuted that the enduing legacy of Palin’s term of mayor – aside from the money pit ice rink – is millions of dollars of debt for a town that before her arrival had none. I guess she didnt get enough federal largesse.

I think one has to be careful in what they read. I could take this as someone who has a personal vendetta against Palin. I am sure a letter could be written with all the good she has done. Everyone should do their homework and find where the source is coming from before they can make an intelligent decision. There are a lot of ugly things being written and spoken about Barack Obama such as he is friends with a known terrorist who bomb the World Trade Center. Research is important before making sound judgements.

This is impressive. I admire Anne Kilkenny’s willingness to come forward with an unflattering, but clearly well-researched set of facts. I truly hope she that doing so doesn’t ‘come back to haunt her’ or harm her in some way. I found this more or less well-balanced, and if we can’t still state the facts in America…what’s the point? I am currently on a long (3-month) solo backpacking trip through Europe, but I will be home in early November and casting my vote for Obama. Until then, I don’t have zillions of readers, but I’ll mention this post on my blog for others to check out. Thanks for sharing!http://wideawakeinwonderland.wordpress.com

Funny, she ends this deliberate critique by revealing info about Sarah supposedly hating her. Yea, I’m gonna take this article seriously now. Take it outside ladies this is my future we are talking about.

Its interesting how she used political code words such as “censorship”, but did not explain the situation.
“heartbeat away from the Presidency”, how close is obama with less experience?

Honestly, when you really examine this article there is just nothing there. Just no meat. Its either an angry scorned opponent or a designed hit piece, all too common these days.

I read the subject article with interest, to say the least. I did find any documentation to support Anne Kilkenny’s opinion, rather sensed a bitter and vindictive woman with a grudge. One has to wonder the motivation behind here coming forth to “enlighten” all of us on Sarah Palin.

The real corker for me was Powerfulmothers letter of Sep 4 and her almost in-exhaustiable list of voting issues. For a “working mom” with kids at home, she seems to have spent an inordinate amount of time preparing this lengthy list or is good at “cut and paste”. I suspect the latter and its pretty much a liberally inspired hatchet job, again without and substantiating data or source materials.

It is pretty obvious that the liberals who support Obama and Biden are scared, damn scared of Sarah Palin, as well they should be. She is bring vitality and life to the McCain ticket, as well as executive experience and her personal family values. She is being criticized for exercising her freedom of choice on personal family values by the Pro-Choice gang of liberal thugs. The attacks on Sarah Palin only validate the desperation of the liberal elements, especially those by the “women’s rights” groups and the ilk of Moveon.org, the Huffington Post and NOW. Their message is that it great to be a woman in politics as long as your a liberal. Talk about self serving agendas!

I have developed a personal disgust with the antics and bile of liberals, their lack of values and even greater lack of personal responsibility.

So Sarah, you go girl. Remember what looks best on a liberal-a pit bull with red lips.

I am not impressed with Palin, she should like a whiney politician who thinks she can get by on her looks. She reminds me of Massachusetts former Governor Jane Swift. A whiney felmale gove who if she did not get her way she would fire people. Oh also she used state employees to babysit her twins. This sounds like this will happen with palin

Oh, “Young Voter”: Obama will fund part of his promises by raising taxes on those earning over $200,000 per year or more and also require them to pay their share of social security taxes that they have been exempt from all these years. The middle class wage earner has always taken the hit for the wealthy and the corporations. So if you earn over $200,000 per year and love WAR then go ahead and vote for McCain and his lap dog, er I mean pit bull. If you are a middle class wage earner, which most people are who read the blogs, we can’t afford 4 more years. No way, No how, No McCain.

Dr V:
Your observations about Palin could be very telling. Why do you think that people continue to vote for an administration which is getting more dictorial, intolerant and war-like? Is it that they feel so hopeless and miserable that they have no hope? I will be voting for Obama because I do feel that he connects with the wishes, hopes and dreams of the people and truly desires to be a peacemaker.

This “Lady” Anne is obviously biased. Too bad , as open minds have more oportunity to learn something. I too know someone, who like this author, is from the same town and knows her well with quite the OPPOSITE opinion!~ SO THERE YOU HAVE IT… its an opinion… NOT facts.. How funny people are.. Sarah is the one everyone is targeting.. HMMMMMM maybe because she is a serious threat to the Obama guy.. One thing that hasn’t been taken away from us is the right to an opinion and to vote as we choose.. I will be voting for John and Sarah… No OBama for me.. I am just curious , IS that an American name, Obama.. Hmmm…. Are you all sure you want him to lead this country?? Better think about it.. This author “Anne” had help writing all this negitivity. . By the way.. just WHAT is Obama’s experience ??? Please figure that one out before you dump on someone who does have experience,, However in the end , we all will vote as we see best, either way.. Thats our USA given right… For Myself and all the people I know its…McCain and Palin 2008…..I know she is truely a blessing for all of us….

There are many contradictions in her letter. On one hand she admits that Palin in very popular and in another part of the letter she said people are afraid to step forward because they fear her retributions. Now which way is it?

“We’ve been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain’s running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.
• Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn’t cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years.
• She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a “What if?” question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin’s first term.
• She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She’s been registered as a Republican since May 1982.
• Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a “courtesty” when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.
• Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska’s schools. She has said that students should be allowed to “debate both sides” of the evolution question, but she also said creationism “doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.”

A few of these claims were included in a chain e-mail by a woman named Anne Kilkenny. We’ll be looking into other charges in that e-mail for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points above, please read the Analysis. ” (available at the site above).

I can not believe that some people think that this is a McCain ad or some woman that is upset and does not like Sarah. Did you read the article? She listed facts, she does not sound angry, upset or bais. She said she was attractive and popular just not qualified to be the VP. She also gave numbers and facts that can be checked.

Great job Anne for having the courage to stand up for what you believe in. The last I knew that was what being an American was about.

This letter certainly has sparked some interest and response on both sides. I have to say that most of what is in the letter has been reported by third party sources.
To ariborneranger: the bully at my elementary school was very popular because you would get beat up if you didn’t treat him like a friend. I was that bully once and I understand that you can intimidate people to do what you want them to do by fear, financial intimidation and every once in a long time being nice.
The republican party has had 8 years (6 years of that in complete control) and our society did not flourish like it did under a Democratic administration (most of that done with an opposing party in control of congress). I believe the choice is clear.

Wake Up People! Palin is a heart beat away from being the next president. Is that what you really want??? I believe Obama is the right choice for president. The rest of the world must be laughing at us. How quickly we forget the mess Bush produced for the last 8 years. I agree, if your for the war and your wealthy…..Then go ahead vote for McCain/Palin.
Obama is the right person for president not Palin. Whoops i mean McCain. The Republican is a Big Joke!

Thank you for this insight on Mrs. Palin. It absolutely horrifies me to think of the possibility of this inexperienced woman running our country if Sen. McCain is elected our next President of the United States and something happened to him.

When Sen. McCain first made his announcement on his choice for his running mate, I was appalled simply because he thought if he selected a woman to be on his ticket he would win over the Hillary women voters. I thought to myself “does he really believe that the women voters are that shallow to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket just because of there was a woman on that ticket?”

Now I am just as puzzled to see that some women are that shallow. I need someone to explain to me how you can run to a Presidential candidate that you were against before based on the issues you were concerned with and now, just because he selected a female, inexperienced at that, to be his running mate? Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see a woman get her proper respect in this country, it’s long overdue but, not at the expense of my family’s livelihood.

I would prefer a President and Vice President that would take the high road rather than the low road when it comes to attacking a person just because the opportunity arose and everyone else was doing just that.

Wow! I am seeing some real desperation here! The democrats are clambering trying to find ANYTHING they can on Sarah Palin because they are scared #$%&less that “America” is waking up and seeing who Obama really is (or should I say…who he isn’t)
How quickly we forget all the natural disasters (here and abroad) that put a burden on the U.S. ,And the attacks on 911 that needed not to be ignored–did we think they would go away on their own? you would think that the so called “educated” could add the numbers up an see the real answer to who has the experience and courage to lead America–not someone who has 143 days of so called experience before entering a campaign for presidency. Let’s not forget Obama’s “friends” and the lovely comments that so gracefully fall from the mouths of Barack and Michelle Obama. (so classy). Someone needs to do their homework…TONIGHT!!!!!

Interesting reading. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of Sarah Palin. I have been trying to find some reading material on her so i can find out her policies. You have given reference material that I can look for. The hype for Mrs Palin is large and it does seem as if the “too good to be true” factor is in play. I am sitting by watching all of it play out and it is scary to see what the future would hold if McCain/Palin win the White House.

While reading this letter I noticed that the writer refered toTodd Palin as a champion SNOWMOBILE racer. In Alaska, unlike the lower 48 they refer to them as SNOW MACHINES. Is the writer really from Wasilla or another fraud.

If you read the letter, then you know her full name. Do as Anne suggested and Google her. Of course, this letter now dominates the internet but she has since been interviewed by the New York Times, and the Anchorage Daily News (adn.com). She has also been verified by snopes.com as an actual author and a resident of Wasilla.

I agree, there are other letters out there that are frauds. I have received some as well, but didn’t post them on this site. I can assure you that the evidence clearly suggests that this letter is authentic.

Ed,
Your comment is so far out of touch it is amazing. Sadly, Barack’s parents were divorced as more than 50% of children can say today. His mother has been married as many times as John McCain and less than Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and Rudy Giuliani.

His faith has been confirmed. You’re just too lazy to research it or you’re too stubborn to believe it.

“Very dark teenage life.” – Yes, Obama was raised by his grandparents and a single mom. He went to Columbia university and worked helping people get jobs, go to college and understand their tenant rights before going to Harvard Law School.
Sounds pretty impressive considering he had some difficult times as a youth – as you pointed out. It also sounds like the American dream.

RN in Texas says:How did Palin’s pre-labor experience affect YOU personally? Did it? Why did it? Should it have? Duh…why is her BODY your business? Same goes for her daughter; what business is it of the American People, Dems or Repubs, what happens in their personal lives? Aren’t they allowed to have personal lives? OMG, NO, they’re going to be in the public eye, so everything they do, from eating breakfast to wiping their behinds is MY business! What a load of crap. No pun intended.

Her body wouldn’t be my business, except she’s representing the party that wants to make MY body THEIR business.

And then charge me for it if it should be sexually assaulted. See the Boston Herald article (about Wasilla charging victims of sexual assault for rape kits while Palin was mayor), contrary to legislation that required states to fund said rape kits in exchange for federal funds under the Violence Against Women Act. Legislation that was championed by none other than Joe Biden.

Well, what floors me is all of the people that are not trusting the content of this letter. But are more than happy to accept what they are told by the McCain campaign. But I do believe that this letter is true. You may not like Obama because youre a racist or you dont like his name. But you like McCain why? Because he was a P.O.W? Which by the way I am eternally grateful for and we are all as Americans indebted to his service. the fact that he served and was captured was impressive enough, but to then refuse to go home when asked is amazing!!

With that said, I’m sorry but that doesnt qualify you to be president. What qualifies you is judgement. and because of that reason I’m voting for Obama. The righties are probably cringing right now, but oh well. They say “when has Obama ever defied his own party?” well he risked political suicide when he voted against the war in Iraq, calling it a “dumb war” based on fabrications…and guess what he was right. Then he called for a time table in Iraq to force the Iraqi’s to take more responsibility in their own country so Obama goes to Iraq and guess what Talabani or whatever his name is agrees then Condy goes their talks with Generals and the iraqi’s and come to the conclusion a “timetable” is the right thing to do, then the Bush administration announces that they have agreed to a “general incentive based guideline” to withdraw troops by 2011, whos the only one still insisting on staying??? Granted he was wrong on the “surge” but that is all McCain has on Obama. Then for the past few years Obama has been advocating for more troops in Afghanistan and low-and-behold U.S troop deaths are the highest they have ever been in Afghanistan. McCain still insists on fighting in Iraq. And the ultimate nail-in-the-coffin judgement call was McCains pick of Palin. Anyone we is mayor of a small town in fckin Alaska, and Governor of Alaska for 20 months, who has never had a passport untill 6 months ago, untill then she had only been to Canada and Mexico…Impressive!! But, hey she’s close to Russia and she has never met a foreign leader face-to-face, who left the town of Wasilla in debt, after receiving it with a balanced budget, is facing an ethics violation after 20 months in office in the “troopergate” story (even though he tased a 11 yr old, which the tropper confirmed saying he did so because the boy is 11 and was curious about what it felt like to be tased, which at 11 hell at 30 I’m curious of, he didnt even shoot him with the prongs or use even 1/10 of the full capacity of the gun, a shock equal to an electric fence) even if he beat her sisters a$$ daily she cant use her power to get him fired, althoguh she should of just had the great Todd whoop his ass for revenge, but not have him fired even if she herself didnt call the troopers boss directly her “feircly loyal” employees and family did, over 20 times she admits, she claims repeatedly that she was against the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” turns out she was for it while campaigning (I’ve seen tho video), her husband is a member of the Alaskan Independence Party or AIP a successionist anti-American group it was reported that she was a member of confirmed by a AIP spokesperson untill the person said that she “made a mistake” but Palin still addressed the group earlier this year, hates polar bears, thinks that a natural gas pipeline in Alaska is “gods will” and encourages prayer, thinks Alaska is where jesus will come when the world ends, says that we need to do “Gods will” in fighting wars (is their a difference between a Christian saying that it is Gods will to go to war and a Islamic extremist who says its Ok to go to war?), has been present at a church numerous times when this “Jews for Jesus” nut says that it the Jews are getting killed by Palistinians because they won’t accept Jesus”, talks about reforming Washington when she has never even been there and has no idea how to work in bi partisan way and bend and give to get things accomplished she WILL be eatin alive by the politics of D.C. she has no idea what she might be getting herself into, talks about reforming Washington and is anti-lobbyist and “earmarks” and throws Ted Stevens under the bus turns out she hired a lobbyist who got $197 million in “pork”. for among many things to study the mating habits of salmon,

And the best we got on Obama is this Reverand Write lunatic. Even if Obama is some crazed anti-christ its not like he has aboslute rule and can do whatever he likes thats why we have this thing called Congress. So I dont see the reasons why Obama is so scary to Conservatives. Probably because they can see the White House slipping thru their hands, and power finally leaving.

Back in 2000 I happened to admire McCain who seemed to be the only Republican who was a anti-Rovist Neo-con whack job. Then on 9/12/2001 McCain among others brings attention not only to Afganistan but to Iraq, Syria, Iran, N. Korea, and Pakistan. I, as all Americans were more than willing to go kill a bunch of Afganies. But then after a few weeks of easy military action in Afganistan and a “victory” in Afganistan, McCain was on a Navy Destroyer and, on camera says “Baghdad here we come”, that was day I knew he had been swayed by the dark side, the day he went from Anakin to Darth Vader.

Then in his presidential bid the Repubs allowed him to win the primary, because in his early career he was liked by Democrats, Independants and Repubs, and they saw it as their best chance to stay in power. Then he allowed his campaign to use the same Roveist tactics that he spoke out against in 2000, the same Roveist tactics that spread a rumor that McCain had fathered a illigetiment black baby. During the 2000 primary he mever talked about his time as a P.O.W in fact once during a debate a family that was the wife, son and daughter of a fellow P.O.W Navy pilot that served in McCains squadren approaced a McCain represenitive about their story, the rep immediatly saw a great political camera moment, when the rep approached McCain with the idea McCain refused, and instead took the family into a room closed the door and talked to family privatly. Now he seems all to eager to sell his compelling story for what I see as a political gain, he then wishes to choose Leiberman or Kaine as his VP choice, but is told that those choices would cause a rebellion on the RNC floor, so he gave into the pressure of the right-wing neo-con crazy a$$ Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck loving social conservatives and goes for Palin, who? Sarah Palin a sexy ex Miss congenieality runner-up Miss Alaska a “Hockey Mom” with 5 kids and 1 with special needs, sounds like a winner, right? well we have to make the “base” happy. As if those same people wouldn’t have voted for him anyway, the notion that any of the Conservatives would stay home if not for the Palin pick is just to crazy, since the thought of a Democratic President and Senate makes them cry. That is what sealed the deal on Obama for me. They say your first real test as a potential President is your choice of VP. McCain chose someone to help him win the election, Obama chose someone to help him govern the country.

Altough, I have to say since the Repubs have stolen both the 00′ and 04′ elections ( I have proof) its hard to have faith in the not so new but still un reliable electronic voting system. I heard someone say this morning that maybe whoever is running or taking these polls are saying the race is closer than it really is so its easier to steal the election. But thats just the conspiracy theorist in me, or so I tell myself.

Oh and I just got done watching the Palin ABC News interview…LOL. What a joke she is! I like how you could tell she has been coached to steer away from questions about foreign policy with a line about reform and energy independence. And how when Gibson asked if she agreed with the Bush doctrine she froze..and had to have Gibson throw her a bone so she wouldnt start to cry. The rest was just on Primetime and I missed it writing this post, so I missed all the other gaffs she surely has made. I’m glad she thinks Russia is such a bad country for invading Georgia unprovoked, and how she wants to add Georgia to NATO, and possibly go to war with Russia, if Georgia is inveded again, since “We are all Georgians” according to McCain. But, Georgia invaded South Ossetia and wasnt provoked, but that’s OK cuz I was told to say so.

I then watched Hannity & Colmes and during the entire show Hanny just yelled and talked non stop about how Obama sucks, and how Palin did a good job and had excellent answers, and how big mean ol’ Charlie Gibson tricked her with a question like “Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?” How could he be so mean? What a sexist thing to do. And to prove he is right he has a “fair and balanced” panel of guests on consisting of Giulianni and some other Repub loser, and they had some Democrate stratigist on. They were supposed to converse about the Palin interview, but right off the rip Hanny asks the Dem “name 3 specific things Obama has done to deserve the right to be President?” As the Dem begins to answer he gives his first reason and attempts to explain his first reason, but is cut off mid-sentence by Hanny (Btw that Colmes guy is a weak a$$ liberal who is afraid of Hanny, put Olberman on the show opposite Hanny and 90% of what Hanny says would be dis-proven, but I doubt Hanny would like anyone who actually challenges him)

So America, see thats what the Repubs do, if they know they are wrong or their is a topic they arent comfortable talking about, they then try to spin it and spin it and spin it until the American public says OK. And, if that doesn’t happen they just yell and get loud since volume can substitute for substance. Even if your lieing, if you say it with authority and get loud people for some reason tend to just agree and shake their heads yes. You can tell these people if they make under about $100,000/yr and think that the Repubs actually care about them. And, if you don’t agree and ask questions then your automatically labeled as “weak” or “anti-American”. All people who still are Bush supporters after 8 years of this fall into this group of scared uninformed people, I would go as far as to call people who still support Repubs dumb, but the truth is that most don’t have time to worry about truth or to research since they have to work 60 hrs a week just to pay the rent, and still may not have healtcare. These are the people the Rovists count on to keep them in office. If you havent noticed Obama has the intellectual crowd, now he needs to get the under educated crowd. The crowd that may read the newspaper or watch the evening news. The kind that get off on catchy sound bits, and cute sayings.

The fact that for the lst week and a half Obama has been on the stump talking about specific polivcies and ways he will enforce those policies, while the McCain camp is floating around baseless allegations of “sexism”, since they know the media will just eat it up. Meanwhile McCain is on the stump riding the coat tales of Palin, listening to her give the same speech she has given everyday since the RNC, while cleverly checking out her tight little a$$. Using the “Palin Bounce” for all its worth, till no one shows up to anymore of his “rally’s”. The same type of rallies the Repubs tried to make fun of Obama for holding, saying he wasbeing a elitest celebrity, all talk no walk, blah, blah blah. Now it seems as if they have someone like that on their ticket. Now the Repubs have their own “messiah”, who they protect at all costs. And accuse the vetting she is going thru as unfair, and sexist. While the Hannitys of the world just salivate over her, thinking of her at night when they are alone in bed, since their wives are out playing with the money they bring in.

So, for the next few days the Repubs will spin and spin the Palin interview and try to say how the Obama campaign has lost its mojo and how they are all flustered and “losing their minds”. Just don’t pay them any attention this is a tough time for them. Just allow them to tell themselves whatever they want that way it keeps them from breaking down into a hyperventilated panic attack in front of the TV cameras.

We are not under estimating Palin, she has moved up quick thru the hardcore and hihgly touted politics of Alaskan politics. But, it truly doesn’t matter if we over estimate her, under estimate her, if “Hockey Moms” feel she would be a cool person to sit down with and have a cocktail it does not matter, since everyone votes for the TOP of the ticket once they get into the booth and close the curtain.

The New York Times and Anchorage Daily News have interviewed her. Fact Check confirms her existence and refers to a Chicago Tribune story. Snopes has also verified her identity and authorship of the letter.

Fact check originally incorrectly attributed some of the claims to Kilkenny but later retracted it: (included here)

“Correction: In our original story, we incorrectly said that a few of the claims we examine here were included in the e-mail by Kilkenny. Only one of the claims – about the librarian’s firing – was similar to an item in that e-mail. We regret the error”

And for the record, I have no problems voting for a woman. I would have voted for Hillary in this election. My congressional rep is a woman and I have voted for her. There are many other women I support including Republican Olympia Snowe. She is a terrific Senator.
That she’s a woman is a terrible argument.

It pretty obvious that you are a democrat. Your comments sound good at first reading, but as I have learned through the years, every story sounds good (or bad) until you hear the other side. Believe me there is another side.

The bottom line is that our country is headed into a downward spiral under the Republican rule. Even a “5th grader” can understand that. How anyone could vote for McCain/Palin in these dire circumstances is beyond me. Obama and Biden can pull us out if anyone can. With McCain, it will be the SAME, but much, much worse. I don’t know ANYONE who isn’t having financial problems. The middle class needs a break and if you think McCain is going to give it to you – think again. It is not the Republican way. Obama will raise taxes for the wealthy and require the top wage earners to pay social security taxes on ALL of their earned income instead of just part of it. As it stands, the laws are benefiting 5% of the people in the U.S. Are you one of them? I’m not and I’m getting tired of seeing all the tax breaks for the wealthy and seeing the middle class wage earners get the shaft. Those of you who are middle class dyed in the wool republicans need to really take a look at this. You are only hurting yourselves. The truth is coming out. We’re tired of the hypocrisy and lies coming out of the Republican camp. Our national debt has raised to $3.5 billion. Clinton had it under control with a SURPLUS of $2.5 billion. Which means that the Republicans have SPENT $6 billion in 8 years. (And they accuse the democrats of tax and spend) FDR, who was a democrat, is responsible for bringing us out of the depression. He started the Social Security system, FDIC, SEC, and installed the minimum wage limit to help workers like us. He cared about the people of this nation. We need to get back to that. I’m voting Obama/Biden.

Mick,
You better not listen to your “friends” in the beltway. What kind of comment is that? Your friends say? Don’t you know how to find information? Palin’s 15 minutes of fame is over. The only flop is McCain/Palin.

Taxing the wealthy a higher percentage is discrimination based on the level of your financial success. Tax cuts only bring them closer to what everyone else pays, so don’t act like you pay a higher percentage than they will. Plus, when we are taxed less, we spend more. When companies are taxed less, more jobs, more money, stronger economy. Simple economics.
The reason our housing market is in turmoil is because we have yet to change monetary policies that were set back in the FDR era. He isn’t responsible. The people are.

I find it comical that there are still folks that say Obama want to TAX the rich…when in fact that is not the case at all. He wants to ROLL BACK THE SPECIAL TAX BREAKS that were given to the wealthy by Pres Bush. Plus, the idea that there are tax breaks given to those that ship our jobs outside the country is outrageous…this practice needs to STOP! (The comment above this one, talks of taxes being RAISED on the wealthy…which simply is not true)

How many of you know that parts of our USA Passports are npw being made outside the USA? It’s not rocket science to find this information out for yourselves. Yet, it’s far easier to repeat rhetoric, talking points and sound bites you hear from the RNC than checking out information for yourselves.

I know this for a fact as I was a staunch Republican supporter for three decades. I know how they misrepresent the facts and twist logic to fit their agenda. None of what they are doing now is new. It’s right out of the “republican play’ book….Karl Rove tactics to be more accurate.

Actually, she brings a breath of stale air along with her lies, deceit and corruption. She is a perfect match with the current administration. She runs Alaska the same way Bush and Cheney have run Washington.

I have no dog in this fight. What’s destroying our country is the two party system, period. Two sides to the same coin. Anyone who believes their side is better than the other only need look at history. George Washington warned about the dangers of party politics!

I have read ALL the comments and am not surprised by the partisan bickering that plagues Washingston today. Personally, I am an Independent and do not vote a straight party ticket. I vote on issues not personalities. I was a Clinton supporter and just because Sarah is a woman, doesn’t mean she represents my views. What I find appalling is charging rape victims for test kits (which she erased from the budget) I respect she didn’t abort her Down Syndrome child, I resent she outted Bristol – no mother in their right mind would ever do something to hurt their child, I respect gutsy women, do I believe this author? Yes – she attended a ton of council meetings, do I think she has a bone to pick? Sure do, we have people here that do the same thing at council meetings. Do I think she is informed, yes because she cares enough to get involved. I Used to like John McCain and was pissed that Bush destroyed him in 2000, but this isn’t 2000 and McCain has changed. Do I care that McCain dumped his first wife for a trophy wife? No Do I care that Obama did drugs in his youth? No – (at least if he isn’t doing them anymore) I googled the author and she is real, snopes even says so. As more information comes out – I am not impressed with her. Personally, as a mother and woman I believe in the you can have it all – but with a Down Snydrome child, a pregnant teenager I would choose to devote my time on family issues instead of personal gain. I think this was the wrong choice for the GOP to put her on the ticket. Sure she is well spoken, nice looking and aggressive, however; that doesn’t qualify her for the job (which she didn’t even know what it entailed) Was she vetted well? I don’t know. I just can’t vote for a right-wing ticket – they scare me. We have have 8 yrs of a failed administration and I want to move forward. Like I said, Obama is not my first choice and I resent that he didn’t put Hillary on the ticket although I understand why, they are fundamentally different. I do like Joe Biden because he gaffs sometimes which makes him a real person and honest speaker. I was not impressed with her interview Charlie Gibson and less impressed with her inerview with Katie Couric. Although this really isn’t about her – it should be about McCain & Obama, there is a very real chance she could take the office of President due to McCain’s health issues and age. She doesn’t represent my issues on women and I don’t like a bully – male or female. The fact that at this date we still haven’t got to hear from her says a lot about the McCain trenches – they don’t trust her and want to reign her in. I look forward to the debates so we can make an informed decsion. One thing I do resent is that she should be held accountable for the sole raising of her children – I split that responsiblity with my husband and don’t think this would be asked of a male candidate. I don’t like that she is impicated in scandals about abuse of power or that the National Enquirer (which I don’t care for) broke a story about an affair with her husbands former partner – which quickly dissolved. And they were correct about John Edwards affair. And due to liable suits they must have some pretty good information. She is just wht wrong candidate at the wrong time. I am connected with veterans organizations – so I feel I can honestly say – GOD BLESS AMERICA

Wow! This whole thing stinks. Just WHO is this “Anne”? Sounds like an Obama smear campaign garnered when the Obamabots descended on Alaska. Even the librarian when finally interviewed said the incident was no where near as bad as the press described. Talk about lies. It was said Sarah was questioning a “rating” system, like in movies – to keep inappropiate materials away from young children. She ends her article by saying all her statistics are questionable. Sheesh! What garbage. Maybe I’ll write an article like this one about Obama. Talk about “dishing trash”! If she’s so bad why the 80% approval rating? In today’s political climate, a 52% approval rating is excellent.
Keep going Sarah !! Keep your head up!!

Sally,
This whole thing does stink. McCain picking a running mate solely to pander to a section of his party is disgusting.
Anne has been interviewed by numerous media outlets and has been verified by snopes along with this letter.

Friends, the writing is on the wall. We need a new Vice Presidential Candidate. I’m asking you all ot support Peter for Vice President. http://peter-for-vice-president.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 09/ my-candidacy-for-vice-presidency.html

Peter’s got my vote. As a former bearded person myself, I throw my support behind Peter. In fact, I’ll throw back a couple of beers with him as well. Check out his site and you’ll understand my comment.

I appreciate you being honest Anne. I had heard much of what you said already in the media, but it is nice to have it validated by someone who was there.

We are at a turning point in this country and the future is uncertain. The decisions that have to be made in the next decade will determine is we survive or fall. At no time in history has a country had such a huge gap between the rich and the poor. We have continued to survive when others have fallen.

Now is not the time to gamble with age and inexperience. Literally, the future of our great nation depends on our decision. Vote Obama/Biden.

Kathy, Please provide examples of where Obama has shown to be for sale.

I think you have him confused with McCain who’s campaign staff is littered with lobbyists. In fact, McCain’s whole ‘We are all Georgians’ comment was because his foreign policy advisor is on the payroll of Georgia.

You really need to stop watching Fox News as your exclusive source of ‘news’. Rush Limbaugh is solely for entertainment.

The fact that you believe this crap exemplifies that the voters in this country are lazy when it comes to information. Please do yourself a favor and verify their fodder on AP and Reuters.

Take the time and study Charles Keating and the Keating Five and look up McCain’s economic advisor Phil Gramm. Maybe this will really scare you.

Or just do an online search for Sarah Palin & Alaskan approval rating.

Why would anyone find Obama scary? Is it because he’s black? Is it because he has a “muslim” name? I guess McCain’s racist and xenophobic campaign is really resonating with some people. Sad.

McCain’s the one who’s going sell us to the highest bidder. Look at his voting record, he’s always supported big business and gives less than a shit about “Joe Six-Pack”. In fact he thinks all Americans are a bunch of redneck idiots who will be easily fooled by some down-homey slogans and totally overlook his track record.

C – very good points.
When Anne Kilkenny wrote this letter, Palins approval rating was about 82%. Since her selection, she has fallen 14%.

Anyone who says that they don’t know Obama’s voting record or what he stands for is just lazy. Everything can be found on the internet. People can find out about his work before law school as well as his voting record in the Illinois legislature and the US Senate.

And of course you are correct, C, as to why people would find Obama scary.

“While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.” – according to Fact Check.org, this is not true. so if one part of this letter is false, who knows what we can trust from it. This letter is a fabricated attack from a disgruntled person….

Ozzy,
Analysis from FactCheck – “The librarian was fired, but was told only that Palin felt she didn’t support her. She was re-hired the next day. The librarian never claimed that Palin threatened outright to fire her for refusing to ban books.”
I guess the reason for the 1 day firing could be in dispute. According to FactCheck, they are still investigating.

You implied in your first comment on this post that since Obama didn’t serve in the military, that he is not a patriot. Do you realize how many Americans that statement insults? Since it isn’t true, can I imply that everything you have ever said in your life is false? You sound disgruntled.

hahaha u r pretty awesome, i didn’t say you were disgruntled…i said the author of the letter sounded disgruntled! also, i never said that if someone didn’t serve in the military they were not a patriot, please don’t put words into my mouth. I would never imply that. Anyways, I hope you have a great day, God bless you!

Ozzy,
I love election season. Everyone takes words and spin them to mean whatever they want. Someone says something negative about someone – they’re disgruntled or have an axe to grind. Every opposing view is a smear.

I am not a Palin supporter. However, let’s not blame her for McCain’s failure to rally his party and the country. Colin Powell said it best. McCain ran too much of a negative campaign and picked the wrong vice-presidential candidate. McCain needs to take responsibility for both decision, and ultimately loosing the presidential election. Palin should go back to Alaska, read up on International Affairs, Belt Way Politics, and resurface in four years with a better track record.

Lee,
McCain’s problems started before he selected Palin. Her selection is more of a reflection on his decision-making than it is on her capabilities.
But she has been a real divisive addition to the ticket. Her comments at the rallies have helped incite hatred. She is anything but an innocent bystander in all of this.

From Fact Check: “We found that most of Kilkenny’s main factual claims are correct, or very close.”

Their conclusion: “Overall, Kilkenny’s facts are more right than not, and we found no real whoppers. Still, we feel obliged to remind our readers that, as we’ve warned previously, chain e-mails are almost always replete with deceptions. This one, which is both more accurate and less sensational than most, is an exception.”

I live in a small city of 5,500 people. I know first-hand exactly what these type of bullies can do to silence people. I also know, when the author of this letter says she fears retaliation, she is not just saying that. Small town bullies will cross any lines and cause tremendous harm to people and the city in order to get their way. It works for them because the retaliation people receive for speaking out is very real. It has to be the citizens’ voice to put a stop to it-not the other politicians and city workers. That’s why silencing the voices of people is so important to the bullies.

i have been againt palin since this thing started but this letter absolutely confirms and sums up all that i’ve read/seen in one well written piece. i admire the woman who wrote this and appreciate her simple details and facts. is sarah palin a smart woman? sure. are millions more capable of being the VP? you betcha!!! obama is going to win this thing and in the end, palin will be remembered historically– for being an almost worse choice that bush himself– but thank goodness she won’t be elected.

This is a crock of shit. I also live in Wasilla and this is absurd. Talk about a make believe story. Oh well, you believe what you will. I am not going to go into this, all I can say, it is another well thought out fabrication of the truth.